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Lucky for you, we've curated a list of some of the best tarot decks that represent the LGBTQ+ community. All of these stacks are incredibly different, but they share an overall message of love and acceptance. You have to appreciate the care, compassion, thought, energy, and empathy from the the illustrators and writers designing these tarot decks.
Gary D'Andre, author of Tarot for You and Me: A Queer Deck and Guidebook, tells Cosmopolitan that tarot decks are a way for people to search for guidance, and "seeing yourself represented in the cards allows you to feel some sort of kinship to what it is that you’re looking for advice from." Today, most tarot decks are based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, which was first published in 1909. It features a cast of white characters, and the cards that portray romantic and familial situations (such as the Lovers card or the Ten of Cups card) show straight couples only. D'Andre and other creators were inspired to make tarot decks that they can see themselves in.
"It’s important for queer people to see themselves represented in the same cards that our heterosexual counterparts have the opportunity to see themselves represented in," D'Andre tells Cosmopolitan. "There are opportunities for us to feel kinship within our communities as we see ourselves showing up in the cards that we pull, or the situations that are coming to light through the readings that we do for ourselves and for our queer brothers, sisters, and people."
You should pick up a copy of one (or all) of these to add to your collection, not just because it's Pride month, but because they are exceptional. Take it from me—I’m a professional astrologer and tarot card reader.
Gary D'Andre, author of Tarot for You and Me: A Queer Deck and Guidebook, tells Cosmopolitan, “It was really important to highlight the different representations and expressions that we, as queer people, experience throughout the guidebook.” As someone who's used D'Andre’s deck, it is a MUST in your tarot collection. The pictures and images are vibrant and lively. More importantly, the answers I received resonate with me.
Queer and trans artists Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham of the duo Ash + Chess are behind Queer Tarot: An Inclusive Deck & Guidebook. I love that the guidebook encourages readers to find their own meaning through the fluidity of the cards. The High Priestess card, showing a beautiful woman sitting on a throne full of knowledge, speaks to me on a soulful level.
Rainbow Heart Tarot is made with TLC by Portland-based illustrator Rachel Rosenkoetter. The positivity in each card makes me smile. The Lovers depicts two women in an embrace, locking lips, and the Four of Wands shows four women dancing with each other by the fire in the woods like a modern Botticelli painting.
If you're looking for a fun deck, Fortune Queens: A Drag Race Tarot is for you. The cards depict the Rider-Waite-Smith cards as drag queens, reinterpreting the cards through memorable moments from RuPaul's Drag Race.
Graphic designer Juanjo Cristiani raised funds for the deck through a popular a Kickstarter campaign, in which he wrote, "As I grew up as a queer person, I had no choice but to stand for the amazing universe that is RuPaul’s Drag Race. That’s how the idea hit me, I needed to mix two of my passions: Tarot and Drag. Every single artwork of this deck is based on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith tarot mixing it with iconic moments, looks, and elements from the show." Obviously, it's a must for Drag Race fans!
Next World Tarot by illustrator, punk rock musician, and graphic novelist Cristy C. Road speaks of a place where love conquers all. Not just romantic love, but love for EVERYONE! The images are stunning and have political messages. Don't forget to get the hardcover guidebook as well because it’s to die for!
As someone who identifies as non-binary, I appreciate the Fifth Spirit Tarot. All the cards come together through the four elements—fire, earth, air, water—with the addition of the fifth element: spirit. Created by Charlie Claire Burgess, a queer and non-binary witch, tarot reader, artist, and writer, this deck is beautifully crafted and expands on the traditional tarot archetypes. Burgess is also the author of the book Radical Tarot: Queer the Cards, Liberate Your Practice, and Create the Future, which goes into depth about the queerness of the tarot.
As if one deck wasn't enough, Charlie Claire Burgess also designed and created The Gay Marseille Tarot, which highlights LGBTQIA2S+ identities as well as historic events. (The Marseille tarot is a form of tarot deck that dates back to 17th and 18th century France; it's less omnipresent than the Rider-Waite-Smith deck but still widely used.) My favorite cards are The Moon, which shows a sapphic pool party, and The Chariot, with a fun S&M reference.
Poppy the Witch’s Big Gay Tarot Deck is so popular that it’s hard to get a copy! The deck is sleek and modern. The drawings on the cards are simplistic but rich in meaning and portray diverse characters, including disabled folks.
Raise your hand if you want to explore an inclusive tarot deck with fae, mermaids, and every divine otherworldly being you can imagine? Mine is raised high! The creator of the Star Spinner Tarot, Trung Le Nguyen, AKA Trungles, takes classic mysticism and mythology to a whole new level. Plus, there are multiple cards to depict many different types of relationships: For example, the Lovers card has different relationships ranging from asexual to queer to sapphic and more in the four depictions.
Not only is Rainbow Tarot a favorite amongst tarot readers, but the cards are uniquely designed by artist So Lazo, featuring holographic elements on the edges of the cards and colorful imagery. Cyrée Jarelle Johnson, an acclaimed writer and third generation seer, contributes to the deck, too.
Lisa Stardust is a NYC-based astrologer, tarot card reader, energy healer, and manifestation guide known for her pop culture horoscopes. She is the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating This Cosmic Rite of Passage, The Astrology Deck: Your Guide to the Meanings and Myths of the Cosmos, and Love Deck: 70 Cards to Ignite Attraction, Passion, and Romance. In addition to Women's Health, her work and writing has been featured in The Today Show, Oprah Daily, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, and InStyle. Hailing from a long line of spiritual healers, Lisa has been practicing astrology professionally for over 15 years but has been studying the stars all of her life.
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