Queering the Tarot

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It insists on a radical framework for tarot's symbols. It resists simple observation of archetypes, and demands participation.

This is vitally important because a lot of the cards' conventional interpretations simply don't work for queer querents (henceforth queerents) like they do for cishet folks. For instance, while a cishet person might see the Hierophant as a card of spiritual stability and community, a queerent's past experiences with the homophobia of many mainstream religious institutions might leave them bracing for abuse or even expulsion from someplace they've thought of as a safe haven. On the flip side, while a cishet querent (especially a white one) might balk at the chaos and destruction of the Tower, a queerent might gleefully welcome the chance to strike down discriminatory structures and build something new. I feel like the author takes her own experiences and generalizes them out to being "2SLGBTQ+ experiences" in general. There are a lot of "we..." statements in the book that, to me, don't reflect intersectionality and presume a very particular reader. For example, phrases like "in our society...” are utilized frequently and demonstrate a clear presumption that the reader is American. I felt like the whole book presumed an American reader in their 20s or 30s who lives in a bigger city – a rather narrow focus audience. The Emperor card was also wildly sexist. I know the author tries (or says they try) not to associate the cards with their gender, but there seems to be a personal bias against the stereotypical masc-associated traits with this card. (Really, any masc card.) Saying it's all about control and forcing people into submission feels like a huge loss to the meaning of the card, and is contrasted wildly against the almost purely positive portrayal of the Empress. I don't feel like the author did a good enough job here overcoming their own personal issues with this card and genuinely giving it a queer perspective. Cassandra Snow’s long-running and much-loved series on the Little Red Tarot community blog has been published in book form!The Scorpio Eclipse has given everyone I know an emotional hangover, so let's do some queer processing via tarot. Don't feel obligated to read this book just because of what it promises--queer representation. It does not deliver. I still start this off by saying I was biased before reading this book. I had heard enough bad things about it that I had zero interest in it. But when enough people told me it was a valuable read despite those bad things, I decided to give it a shot. (Spoilers: it's awful.) Finally, Cups represents the element of Water which is associated with emotions. The Cups are often linked with romantic relationships, but can also refer to any emotional relationship, as well as the process of healing. The fluidity inherent in water, as Snow points out, lends well to queer folks, creating a pretty queer suit. Giving Readings Also, for a book about rejecting gender norms, there is a lot of discomfort around masculine energy. To explain the issue in a microcosm, Snow describes the Empress card as representative of mothering energy but encourages us to think of a mother as something beyond gender. A mother can be found in men, and doesn't necessarily have to include womanhood- but in the very same section condemns the Emperor card as a card that "bullies you into submission."

Why is tarot so popular? A huge part of the draw (get it?) is the beauty of the cards themselves: 78 little stories, each with multiple layers of meaning, that reveal stories about your life. If you’ve ever performed a reading or had someone read for you, you’re probably familiar with that eerie moment when the cards seem to know exactly what your problem is—and, like a gruff but loving aunt, they call you out on it! TW: Biphobia, whorephobia, discussion of sex work and sugar babies, drugs, sex, suicide mention, outing, queerbait culture, harassment in clubs/bars. What can I say about this book? I loved it. I genuinely left this book knowing more and yet having more questions that ever before. That's a wonderful thing! Not only does this mean I will return to the book time and again, I found that Cassandra's voice and approach was accessible for all levels of tarot reader. I was incredibly pleased with the nuance she provided the Court cards in general. If you struggle with them, this may be a good read for you as well!Also for a book that seems to pride itself on its intersectionality, I wish that they had chosen anything other than a skinny, white blond haired femme for their cover art. I also find this book was HEAVY on American society and heavy on trauma. There was no room for anyone outside of American and there was very little room for joy.

Second issue. The descriptions of the minor Arcana cards are lumped together in pairs and three somes. This doesn't clarify the cards, it muddies the interpretation and seems lazy when we are talking about queer perspectives on Tarot. I think adding a spin of Queerness to each card as it's own section of interpretation would have been better. All in all, I'm glad I read this and can put the author's knowledge and teachings to use in my own readings, but I do think that this book is just a fun addition to your tarot collection and not necessarily a must read book! Why can't the Six of Wands just represent confidence? The desire to shine? Why bring up the trauma of adversity over and over and over again?

Cassandra has been reading tarot for over about 14 years and has “gone pro” for about 9 years. You can find out more at www.cassandra-snow.com or support their work and get exclusive content at patreon.com/cassandrasnow.