For those of us queer folks who love Tarot, finding a deck that we see ourselves in can be challenging.
I don’t know about you, but apart from a very flamboyant Fool and some androgynous angels and pages, I didn’t see many visibly LGBTQ+ people or non-heterosexual relationships in my first Tarot deck.
While many people have made arguments that the Tarot is inherently queer, until recently, decks that explicitly celebrated queer people and relationships were not the norm.
It wasn’t until later in my life, when I actively began to seek out Tarot decks that centered LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming people that I realized what an enormous difference using a queer Tarot deck had on my practice.
Today, I’d like to write about seven beautiful queer Tarot decks that have the potential to revolutionize your relationship with the Tarot.
I’m talking about seven gorgeous, sensual, queer Tarot decks that are as much a feast for the eyes as they are for the LGBTQ+ soul. This is probably a good time to let you know they all include some degree of nudity!
In addition to choosing decks which have visible queer representation, I also searched for decks which included people of color, and reflected a wide range of ages, body shapes, and levels of ability.
It’s important for all of us to be able to see ourselves in the Tarot, and this means that the cards must mirror our diversity.
While I don’t think that any one Tarot deck will tick the boxes for everyone, I believe that these seven decks will serve as an excellent springboard into the world of queer Tarot.
Without any further ado, let’s start talking about the first deck on this list!
1. The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot
The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot is a lush, luxurious, Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck that was originally funded on Kickstarter.
Thankfully, U.S. Games Systems has since picked up the deck and published a second edition for all of us who missed the original Kickstarter campaign.
The deck’s author, Russian emigrée Fyodor Pavlov, carefully hand painted each of these cards in ink and watercolor, breathing new queer, trans, and non-binary life into Pamela Colman Smith’s timeless illustrations.
I love that this deck captures so many moments of the LGBTQ+ experience — take the Six of Cups, for example. The artwork in this card depicts Fyodor Pavlov as an adult with his younger, pre-transition self.
The emotion in this card brings tears to my eyes. What a beautiful, affirming moment!
Additionally, I love that we get to see multiple queer relationships in this deck — not only in Pavlov’s groundbreaking Lovers card, but also in the Two of Cups, the Four of Wands and the Ten of Cups.
Despite the fact that Pamela Colman Smith was a woman of color herself (and likely queer), the Rider-Waite-Smith deck as a whole is an extremely White deck. Pavlov’s deck breaks with this, to an extent, and also makes strides by including different body shapes, sizes, and levels of ability (I cannot get enough of the Knight of Coins!).
The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot is the perfect deck for someone who is comfortable reading Rider-Waite-Smith decks, but is craving some queerness (and color!) in the traditional illustrations.
The beautiful, blue velvety card backs studded with gold stars are just the cherry on top of this sensuous Tarot deck.
2. The Lubanko Tarot
The Lubanko Tarot, created by non-binary artist E. Lubanko, is a breathtaking, high-intensity Tarot deck that also came into the world through Kickstarter.
The illustrations in this Tarot deck are what immediately grabbed me, and spoke to me on a soul level. These cards are raw, primal, at times bloody, and even creepy, but this is all part of their power.
There are so many things I love about this deck, including the gender expansiveness and prominence of people of color. There is also a cross between animal and human which contributes to the wild energy present in this deck.
Like Fyodor Pavlov’s deck, the Lubanko Tarot is largely based on the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, but it does sometimes deviate from the traditional illustrations, and invite further reflection (see the Seven and Ten of Cups, for example).
I also see several potential connections between the imagery in this deck and the Mary-el Tarot (compare the Strength and Devil cards). An interview E. did with Tarot of the QPTOC confirms the Mary-el is indeed among their all-time favorite decks, so I don’t think I’m making this up!
While the Lubanko Tarot has been out-of-print for several years, I was overjoyed to see that Llewellyn has picked up the deck, and will be bringing it to the mass market in fall of 2025.
E. has also said they will be selling their last remaining copies of the independent version, so be on the alert for another announcement!
3. The Prismatic Tarot
The Prismatic Tarot, by Kelsey Showalter, is another Kickstarter deck (thank you independent artists!). It has been described as bold, vivid, and intoxicating; all adjectives I agree with!
If I had to choose one word to add to these descriptions, it would probably be “scorny” — a combination of the words “scary” and “horny,” coined by one of my favorite musicians, Caroline Polachek.
I find the artwork in this deck to be extremely erotic, and at the same time, there are cards which terrify me (have you seen The Devil?). I don’t think this an entirely bad thing, however, as the Tarot is not all light and love.
There are also some alien-like figures in this deck for all of the sci-fi lovers!
I’m a big fan of the strong unapologetic colors and patterns in this deck, as well as some of the ingenious ways Kelsey has put a new spin on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot (just look at the Three of Swords!).
While I do love how unabashedly sexy this deck is, the figures overall are very fit, and I wish that at least a few of them had some body hair.
There are a number of cards in this deck that are surprisingly pippish, so it would be helpful to have the guidebook handy if you don’t read Tarot of the Marseille.
This Prismatic Tarot is normally available on Kelsey’s Etsy shop, although she does sometimes take breaks!
4. The Black Queer Tarot
When Harlem-based artist Kendrick Daye started searching for his first Tarot deck, he couldn’t find an option that illustrated the Black queer experience. As a result, he decided to take things into his own hands, and created The Black Queer Tarot on Indiegogo.
Daye’s Tarot is a powerful, collage-style deck that imagines a world where Black queer people aren’t just living, they’re thriving. I see beauty, pride, tenderness, and joy in these cards — a wholehearted celebration of Blackness.
Kendrick worked with real models to make these collages, and photographed most of them himself. I have heard that all of the people that appear in this deck are part of the queer spectrum, including the numerous Black writers and activists like Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, and Martha P. Johnson that grace this deck’s Court cards (The Queen of Swords, King of Sticks, and Queen of Sticks, respectively).
While I’m not sure I would call this a Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the spirit of some of Pamela Colman Smith’s illustrations comes through in numerous cards (see the Three of Swords or Seven of Cups).
The Black Queer Tarot is a true gem of a deck, and while there are still some copies for sale online (check here and here), it breaks my heart to say it now appears to be out of print. If this is a deck that appeals to you, I would encourage you to find a copy quickly, as it will certainly sell out soon!
5. The Sefirot Tarot
The Sefirot Tarot is yet another Tarot deck that was originally funded on Kickstarter (can you see a pattern here?). I first came across these cards on Pinterest, and fell in the love with the style of this deck, as well as the fact that it has three versions of The Lovers!
These gorgeous illustrations will resonate with people on all different points of the gender spectrum, be they cisgender, transgender, and/or non-binary. I especially think this deck will resonate with those who feel they don’t fit in with traditional ideas of “masculinity” and “femininity.”
To me, many of the masculinities in this deck feel vulnerable, graceful, sensitive, and soft, which I absolutely adore. We get to see men and masculine folks with a whole range of physical attributes as well, and at different points in their lives.
In a similar vein, many of the femininities in this deck give me the feeling of strength, assertiveness, confidence, and power. I love that there are women and feminine folks in this deck with a diverse range of ages and physical attributes as well (in particular, I appreciate the strong noses!).
Unlike the decks we’ve seen up until now, the Sefirot Tarot is a Marseille deck. This means that the Minor Arcana are all pips (illustrated with suit symbols rather than vignettes).
While I was initially intimidated by the idea of learning how to read a new Tarot system, I quickly learned that there are advantages to using pip decks.
Essentially, the meaning of the card isn’t limited by the story of the illustration on it — it’s more related to the card’s number, and in this deck, that number’s Kabbalistic significance.
The beautiful gilded first-edition copies of this deck have almost all sold out, but at the time I was writing this, there was still one available for purchase from Tarotpuoti.
The creators of this deck have also recently launched a new Kickstarter campaign, and are offering the original gilded deck at higher-tier levels of support.
For those who don’t want to splash out, however (I couldn’t resist the gold detailing!), you can get an affordable copy through Hay House, which picked up this deck and published it as The Spheres of Heaven Tarot.
6. The Mary-el Tarot
The Mary-el Tarot is hands-down one of the most beautiful Tarot decks I’ve ever seen. It probably has something do with the fact that this deck’s creator, Marie White, hand painted this deck over the course of ten long years. That’s right — a whole decade!
While the Mary-el may not make many lists of queer Tarot decks, I chose to include it in my list for a number of reasons.
First of all, there is a stunning display of gender diversity in this deck. From the visibly androgynous depictions of the Aces, to the myriad ways White illustrates masculinity and femininity throughout the Major and Minor Arcana, this deck does not disappoint.
I also can’t say enough how much I appreciate that this deck centers depictions of people of color, and features a broad spectrum of body shapes and sizes.
Secondly, although there are strong themes of duality in this deck, I believe that White consciously chooses to subvert traditional ideas about masculinity and femininity in her paintings.
Take The Lovers card, for example. Despite featuring a heterosexual couple, the illustration centers a powerful Black woman carrying her White male partner. For me, this shatters the traditional association of femininity with passivity and masculinity with activity, and asserts the passive, active, and even neutral potentials within us all.
In Landscapes of the Abyss, the book that accompanies this deck, White describes the Mary-el Tarot as being built on the pillars of the Marseille, Rider Waite, and Thoth decks. While I have no doubt this is true, after using the deck myself, I would dare to say that the Mary-el Tarot is a unique system unto itself, unlike any other Tarot deck I’ve ever used.
Whether you’re a beginner or advanced reader, if you’re ready to take a journey somewhere you’ve never been before, you must dive into the Mary-el Tarot.
7. The Cosmic Tribe Tarot
The last Tarot deck on my list is, paradoxically, the oldest. Published in 1998, I see the The Cosmic Tribe Tarot as being a forerunner of many of the queer Tarot decks we see today.
Created by radical faerie, Stevee Postman, this Thoth-based deck is an homage to the San Francisco counterculture movement of the 90s. Many of the models in these cards are faeries, feminists, neo-pagans, and modern primitives who were part of Postman’s community.
Look closely, and you’ll find many folks from the Reclaiming Collective, including Feri author Thorn Coyle (they appear on The Wheel of Fortune card).
While I can’t say this with 100% certainty, I’m willing to bet that The Cosmic Tribe Tarot was one of the first mass-market Tarot decks to include three versions of The Lovers card.
I do think this is really significant, as it opened the door for other decks (like the Sefirot Tarot) to do the same.
I appreciate the gender expansiveness in this deck, and the different kinds of masculinities, femininities, and ways of being “third gender” or non-binary that we see. The models in this deck feel like real people to me, with body hair, tattoos, piercings, and all.
I absolutely love that there is drag queen featured on the Balance card (this would be Justice in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck). There’s something so beautiful and poignant about this choice, especially given the slew of anti-drag queen legislation recently passed in the US.
In true Thoth Tarot fashion, there are no Kings in this deck. The Queen is the sole sovereign of each suit, and is accompanied by a Knight, Princess, and Prince.
While Knights are sometimes seen as being the “Kings” of Thoth decks, I don’t feel this is the case in The Cosmic Tribe. Scott Morgensen, who writes about this deck in “Rooting for Queers: A Politics of Primitivity” sees the Knights and Princes as embodying faerie theories of third gender shamanism.
In this sense, the choice to have the Queen as the sole sovereign is political, and queers the the hierarchy of the Court cards.
Overall, while there are not as many people of color in The Cosmic Tribe Tarot as in the other decks on this list, I felt it was important to include given its historical significance.
This is beautiful, wild, quirky Tarot deck that is a testament to queer history at a particular place and time.
In conclusion
There are so many queer Tarot decks that I researched for this article, and in the end, the ones I’ve chosen reflect my own personal artistic taste.
It’s my hope that these decks will help you take your first steps into the world of queer Tarot, where you may discover your favorite decks for yourself.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments, and feel free to tell me which queer Tarot decks you’re using!