The Queer Mystic Tarot

The Queer Mystic Tarot is an erotic, kinky, queer, inclusive, and whimsical tarot deck. The 79 cards (78 standard plus one bonus card) follow the meanings of traditional Rider-Waite-Smith decks, but with an erotic and queer twist.

In my studying of the tarot, I quickly found that the imagery and descriptions of the 78 cards typically were very heteronormative and dualistic. Spirituality and the carnal were strictly separated, cards were described as masculine or feminine and the assigned traits falling into traditional binary understandings of masculine and feminine traits, very white, and very straight. “Masculine” cards like the Emperor or kings are associated with power, wisdom, strength, and heaven whereas “feminine” like the Empress or queens are associated with motherhood, emotions, intuition, and nature. The tarot represented in this way was in direct opposition to my lived experience as a queer person. I had a deep desire to queer the tarot, to separate the cards from the dualistic, chaste, and heteronormative veneer that has become so thick it obscured the true meanings of these cards. So, when I started studying the cards and drawing my own, I did so with the intention to make my own deck that was queer and sexy.

I wanted the cards to be erotic, kinky, whimsical, and unapologetically queer. Additionally, I decided to draw on my knowledge of mysticism in my understanding of these cards, particularly in the journey of the fool represented in the Major Arcana. All of these passions, experiences, and interests came together and thus was born the Queer Mystic Tarot.

I hope you enjoy the Queer Mystic Tarot!