Got the Motherpeace Tarot as a gift recently, and after researching it, I’m uncomfortable with the cultural appropriation in the imagery. I know it was groundbreaking for its time with the feminist perspective and round cards, but some of the depictions feel really disrespectful now that I understand the context.
I’m leaning toward passing it on to someone who might use it for academic study of tarot history, rather than active reading. Does anyone have recommendations for decks with similar feminist energy but more culturally sensitive artwork?
I loved the idea of circular cards, but ethics come first for me.
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Honestly.. If you don’t find controversy in the deck and you’re not doing any harm with it, then just use the deck you like. But I do have an alternative if you really want it.
I got it with the book set (also as a gift). It’s nice to have a feminist/goddess deck and circular cards for a nice change.
If you do want an alternative, I would say the Ethereal Visions. Still divine feminine art styles but a lot softer art style and some of the most fantastic cards I’ve ever worked with.
Motherpeace came out of Berkeley in the 1970s. It was a rough time, and many women turned to spiritual work. You can still feel that in the round cards. If you treat the deck as a snapshot of that moment, its strengths and its limits make more sense. It carries the push of women carving out space before the larger cultural shifts caught up.
I really respect you for actually looking into the deck’s imagery instead of just using it blindly (which is what most people would do).
The Motherpeace was definitely important for its time, but yeah, the appropriation is pretty blatant once you see it.
For circular decks, maybe check out the Intuitive Night Goddess Tarot? Not perfectly round, but has curved corners and really beautiful, inclusive artwork. The Afro Goddess Tarot isn’t circular but has strong feminist energy without the problematic stuff.
If you want something more abstract, the Moonchild Tarot has that feminist vibe through symbolism rather than literal depictions. The Gentle Tarot is another one that manages to be inclusive without appropriating.
Passing it to someone for academic purposes is thoughtful. Tarot history collectors would probably appreciate having it as an artifact of 1970s/80s feminist spirituality, even with its problems. Better than it sitting in a drawer making you uncomfortable.
Modern Witch Tarot has a lot of feminist representation in it. Herbcrafters is plant-focused and draws from community traditions pretty well.
Tarot of the Divine cites where all its folktales come from, which I appreciate.
The Motherpeace creators have actually addressed some of the criticism, but their responses haven’t been great. They seem to double down rather than acknowledge the harm.
Makes me sad because the deck did open doors for so many alternative tarot designs.
Honestly, I’m surprised people still gift this deck without mentioning the issues. Like, yes, it was revolutionary for putting women at the center, but the way it depicts Indigenous and African cultures is just… no.
I saw someone at a tarot meetup pull it out recently, and the whole table got quiet. They had no idea about the controversy but it was just obviously wrong.
If you’re specifically into the round format for practical reasons (like no reversed cards debate), you could always trim a regular deck yourself? I did that with my Modern Witch Tarot. Takes forever, but then you get the deck YOU want in the shape you want.
Same here-I went looking for feminine-energy decks without the appropriation and lost a couple of days to research. Theres a big roundup on Aeclectic that sorts feminine decks; just a heads-up that some werent made by women.
Finding something that feels respectful and still carries that energy is tough. One workaround: pull the Motherpeace cards that don’t set off alarms for you and pair them with a deck that’s more culturally aware. It’s a bit of a mash-up, but it kept me reading while I kept searching.
I always check the LWB or website before buying now. See if they credit cultural consultants, list their sources, or mention where profits go.
Also, check for a statement about AI or stolen art. Fifth Spirit, Numinous, and Gentle Tarot all do this pretty well if you want feminist decks with transparent sourcing. For Motherpeace, the library special collections might take it as a donation. Including a note about the appropriation issues gives context for anyone who finds it later.
Last year at a pagan gathering, I had a reading that predicted I’d find a new home for a deck I no longer connected with. They had a ritual tool exchange table there, basically a swap meet for magical items.
This person, who collected historical feminist tarot decks, picked up my old deck and was genuinely excited about it. The reading also said I’d find my replacement deck at that event. Another attendee recommended the Afro-Brazilian Tarot of the Orishas when I mentioned wanting something more culturally authentic.
Funny how the cards pointed me in the right direction for dealing with the cards themselves.
Most pagan gatherings and tarot meetups have swap tables where you can leave decks and divination tools. Someone who needs it will pick it up. Found my favorite oracle deck that way - my tabby kept pawing at it on the swap table last Beltane until I checked it out.
Tarot art is pretty personal (if the images speak to you and help you understand the cards better, that’s what counts. The connection you have with your deck is yours alone. Nobody else needs to approve of it.
Just trust what feels right when you’re using them. That’s kind of the whole point of tarot anyway, listening to your own intuition instead of constantly looking for validation from others.
There’s a tokenism thing that pops up a lot. A deck tries to fix representation by swapping in a single dark-skinned Queen of Pentacles. Imagine doing that to Motherpeace and calling it done, while the rest still lifts spiritual imagery from elsewhere.
I also see decks that say they’re inclusive, but darker skin shows up on the earthy cards, and the mind or spirit ones stay light. Different bias, same result. What tends to work better: either build from one clear cultural viewpoint, or make sure the whole 78-card set shows real variety instead of parking it on the one nurturing card.
Looking through my collection and friends’ decks, most of them only have white figures. Like, the vast majority. Started paying attention to this after a friend pointed it out. Now I try to find decks made by artists from different backgrounds who include their own culture in the artwork, instead of just borrowing from other cultures.
They’re basically illustrated cards with old symbolism. You could try pulling one card in the morning and see what comes up. I know some people who were skeptical but found it useful for thinking things through.
Speaking of problematic imagery, vintage decks can be rough with how they assign court cards to different ethnicities. Old tarot guidebooks used to determine significators by skin tone. Still can’t believe that was a thing.
Common mistake: thinking mythology equals safe, then treating living traditions like some kind of aesthetic.
I’ve got strong Sagittarius placements and had to learn this the hard way. Orisha, Plains smudging, Mori moko, these aren’t just archetypes you can grab whenever. They’re part of living cultures.
If you’re looking at culturally rooted decks, check for creator lineage statements and cultural consultants named in the guidebook. No credits? Big red flag. Skip it.
