While I was working on the Lady and the Gentleman cards I had a maggot in my skull constantly nagging at my brain: the necessity for a gender-neutral card. There are numerous philosophical and anthropological reasons for this consideration. Our society is increasingly polarized around opposing concepts, such as good and evil, right and wrong, male and female, left and right, and more. However, as I continually emphasize through my artistic endeavours, the world is not merely black and white; it is imbued with countless shades and complexities. We should strive to move beyond binary perspectives and appreciate the beautiful intricacies of our existence. Therefore, I consciously avoided centring this new deck on one of the most significant of these dichotomies: male/female.
Across history, cultures have painted a vibrant spectrum of definitions, roles, and rules for genders, revealing a world far richer than the binary. My immersion in Latin and Ancient Greek unveiled a captivating tapestry of interpretations. Each culture, like a hand holding a coloured lens, filters reality through its unique perspective. The truly fascinating aspect lies in the continual exchange of these lenses, allowing us to witness the same world through a kaleidoscope of viewpoints. What was once considered paramount could undergo a dramatic metamorphosis.
The Romans, for instance, viewed the sexual fluidity embraced by the Greeks with suspicion. They saw it as a deviation from their cherished Mos Maiorum, the ancestral customs that embodied Roman virtues. One could argue, however, that the Romans themselves were rather inflexible in their attachment to this idealized past!
Conversely, the Greeks deemed the Romans, and indeed everyone else, to be barbaric. They used the term "βᾰ́ρβᾰρος" (bárbaros), an onomatopoeic word for the sounds they perceived as incomprehensible gibberish when foreigners attempted to speak Greek, akin to our modern "blah blah."
The Greeks held a special disdain for the Persians, however. They considered their men not manly enough due to their elaborate grooming practices and fondness for jewelry.
The Skeleton Card
Coming back form this Pindaric flight, I realized the need for a card that challenged the rigid male/female binary. In a card reading, the person's gender often matters less than the symbolism they embody. Therefore, I created the Skeleton (an extra card, currently unnumbered and unsuited).
Skeletons themselves aren't truly gender-neutral, as their features can differ based on sex. However, I opted for a whimsical illustration – a skeleton that embraces ambiguity, allowing for individual interpretation.
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