I’ve been reading cards since college, when a friend gave me my first deck. Lately, I’ve been looking for more inclusive LGBTQ+ inclusive decks to add to my collection.
It’s harder than I expected to find good ones. Most of what I find online either feels forced or the artwork doesn’t have the depth I want in a tarot deck. I already have the Slow Holler Tarot, but I’d like to expand my collection with more LGBT-themed options.
My first deck was the Tarot of Prague, so I tend to prefer decks with rich symbolism and artistic quality. Google hasn’t been much help - the Gay Tarot came up, but the art doesn’t speak to me. I’m looking for decks that incorporate queer themes into the traditional tarot structure in a natural way.
I’m most interested in masculine-focused or fully inclusive decks rather than specifically lesbian-oriented ones. What LGBT tarot decks have you found that have both strong artwork and meaningful symbolism?
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There are a couple that are just doing it for the marketing value that I won’t suggest. There are others like the modern witchcraft tarot which are kind of there but there are actual inclusive decks:
Star Spinner is probably the best-known deck. Absolutely beautiful and easy to work with, but probably wouldn’t be my first suggestion if you’re a complete beginner.
The Queer Tarot is easier to get into as a beginner. The guidebook is way more detailed, but while the artwork is inclusive, I don’t think it’s as nice as Star Spinner. It’s also a traditional RWS deck (other than the LGBTQ imagery).
A lot of people think LGBT decks have to show queer relationships on every single card. But the better ones just remove the gender stuff completely.
The Numinous Tarot does this. They renamed cards like High Priestess to ‘The Mystic’ and The Fool to ‘The Dreamer’. Pretty clever way to make it inclusive without being too obvious about it.
Have you tried kickstarter? I’ve backed a bunch of LGBT decks this year, and they’re way more creative than the mainstream stuff. Just search ‘queer tarot’ or ‘LGBT oracle’ and you’ll find tons of indie artists doing cool work.
Got the Moonlight Wanderers deck last month and the masculine energy is really nice. Anyway just a thought
I started using my LGBT decks for all my clients, not just queer ones. The Wandering Star Tarot has these nonbinary court cards that work really well.
My straight couples actually prefer them now. Without the typical king/queen stuff, they focus more on the actual meanings instead of getting caught up in who’s supposed to be which gender.
One couple said it helped them see patterns in their relationship they’d been missing.
I had a look at The Gay Marseille deck, and it offers a fresh take on the classic Tarot de Marseille.
The deck stays true to the original’s accessibility but brings in new perspectives from queer, trans, and kinky communities. I’m still figuring out how it measures up against more intricate modern decks, but it’s definitely unique.
Can we PLEASE talk about how every LGBT deck gets marketed as ‘first’ when half of them just slap rainbows on the Rider-Waite and call it radical?!
I spent $85 on the ‘Queer Tarot Project’ last year, thinking I’d found something special, but it’s literally just the same old imagery with different hair colors. Give me actual reimagined archetypes! Show me the Hermit as a drag queen preparing backstage, or Death as the shedding of outdated gender roles.
The Next World Tarot does this well, actual fat bodies, disabled bodies, trans bodies integrated into the symbolism itself, not just window dressing.
I get why people like collecting different decks, but I’ve found that sticking with one deck has helped me develop a deeper connection with it. My deck has shown me that I don’t need explicitly queer artwork to see my experiences reflected.
The Two of Cups can absolutely represent same-gender love when I bring my own perspective to the reading. Maybe try looking at your current decks through a queer lens before getting new ones. You might find meanings you hadn’t noticed before.
Found Charlie Claire Burgess’s Gay Marseille deck at a metaphysical shop last month. The deck takes the old Marseille imagery (from like 18th century France) and adds trans representation throughout. The figures fit right into the cards, doesn’t feel forced or anything.
I wrap my LGBT decks in silk scarves, my mentor told me rainbow decks shouldn’t be stored with black and white ones. The holographic printing on some indie decks can fade if you leave them in the sun. My Cosmic Queens deck got pretty washed out before I figured that out.
Just because a deck has LGBT themes doesn’t mean it’s your deck. I’ve seen people grab the first queer deck they find thinking it’ll be perfect, but then the imagery doesn’t work for them at all.
Trust me, popularity means nothing if the symbolism doesn’t match your personal story. Some of the most hyped decks in our community might leave you cold. Find one that speaks your language, not just one that checks a representation box.
Some people expect LGBT decks to be completely different from traditional tarot, but most stick to the standard 78-card format. They just change the imagery and symbolism. The Dust II Onyx Tarot is a good example, it uses African diaspora spiritual elements and queer themes but keeps the familiar tarot structure. Kind of proves you don’t need to throw out everything that came before to make something relevant.
The Next World Tarot has some good reversed interpretations.
The symbolism changes quite a bit when you flip the cards, and you see different shadow aspects. Sol Invictus Tarot is worth checking out, too, if you’re into reversals. The queer mythology and spiritual themes shift when the cards are upside down.
You get meanings that upright-only decks don’t really cover. Reading these reversed opens up different interpretive angles that a lot of modern decks miss when they’re just focused on the upright position.
