V - THE HIEROPHANT

V - THE HIEROPHANT

(My card for @novaandmali's queer tarot project, Star Crossed, which only has one week left on its Kickstarter! Go check it out now! More thoughts under the cut:)

I really, genuinely love tarot and love using it as like, a self-reflection/meditation tool, so I was beyond happy to participate in such a project!

At first, the Hierophant was a difficult card to apprehend - it's often used as a representation of social norms, of seemingly unbreakable hierarchies, of crowds following teachings passed down from male authorities. I struggled for a bit (I thought maybe at first I'd focus on the "keeper of history" aspect, someone who transmits and transfers knowledge), but it was around that time that I learned a bit more about forcemasc, autoandrophilia and the likes, and I think it really made it click.

The thing is, some people would love nothing more than being told what to do and how to be by a male counterpart; there is safety, even joy in having someone tell you "don't worry, there's a space where you can meet people like you. I'll teach you how it works, I'll be your guide, you'll be okay". This is even a big thing, historically speaking (older queers taking care of younger queers !)

I kind of oppose the Hierophant and the Devil in that regard: both are about submission/domination, but you willingly and knowingly bind yourself to the former. Very sexy of you, if you were to ask me.

Also, I really wanted to draw hairier trans guys :p Though the card is of course representative of any masc-adjacent people. Butches, this is for you as well, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Anyway thanks for reading, I can get very passionate about tarot ahahah