The Metro-Sexual Tarot VS The Gay Tarot...

I have just stumbled upon the MetroSexual Tarot deck (a deck in progress), scans of which can be seen at the following:-

http://www.thomasscoville.com/metrosexual/

Now... I feel that the MetroSexual Tarot deck is one which pertains to a certain kind of gay-lifestyle: with card names such as Abs, Manicurist, The Designer, The Salon and Cocktails. As a gay man, I have to say that I was very put-off by these card-names, and the images on them. In my opinion, there is no depth to them. In order for a tarot-deck to appeal to me, I have to feel some deep connection with it. This deck appears to be very shallow. Hell, there are even two cards named FABULOUS and PRESCRIPTIONS!!!! I mean, WHAT?!

In my frustration I thought back to another gay deck I am aware of: that of the Gay Tarot:-

http://www.tarotpassages.com/gaytarotpix.htm

In my opinion, this deck manages to steer clear of any association with one particular gay-lifestyle. The MetroSexual tarot appears to be heavily entrenched in ideas re. the fashion conscious gay-person who is all about image, drugs, and alcohol (I know many people for whom the MetroSexual Tarot reads like a diary entry). The Gay Tarot does not pertain to this blinkered view, and is thus in my opinion a more appealing and refreshing deck. I have not seen many of the scans, just those available on tarotpassages.com, but I am very impressed by what I see. I particularly like The Lovers card which has an amazing depth to it: a depth that is severely lacking in what I have seen of the MetroSexual Tarot deck.

In my opinion the Gay Tarot is a deck which expresses the depth of life as a gay-man, whereas the MetroSexual Tarot reads like a sordid excerpt from a badly written gay-novel, perpetuating a very stereotypical view of what it is to be a gay man.

I was just wondering what everyone else thought?

C

Centaur ... For the record, "metrosexual" is a new jocular slang term used to describe urban, dandyish _straight_ males, not gay males.

A "straight urban male who is eager to embrace and even show off his feminine side, especially when it comes to expensive haircuts, designer suits and $40 face cream". For this definition and 73 other definitions of that term see:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=metrosexual

The word is still in flux in stabilizing its meaning. Look up the word on google.com and you'll find lots of webpages, with varying nuances as to its meaning.

http://www.calicocat.com/metrosexual.htm

For collector decks I think they are fine.
I don't see nothing wrong but I wouldn't be interested. I find other decks more interesting, but that's just plain old me!

Some of those cards don't even apply to what Metro-sexual means in the midwest here. It does seem too cliche. Cliche's don't go deep with any meaning but the one that's been pre-boxed as a set of ideas. Which won't really help with a reading where you want more freeform in what you see with the cards.

I'm with you Centaur. I found the Metrosexual tarot not especially witty or amusing. And definitely not tarot. I thought Lee's deck was excellent.

Rusty Neon said:

Centaur ... For the record, "metrosexual" is a new jocular slang term used to describe urban, dandyish _straight_ males, not gay males.

Click to expand...

From what I've heard, the icone of metrosexuals is David Beckham... If the deck is a bit like Beckham, I sure can understand why it appears "shallow" ...

Kissa

Edited to add: I'm off to watch both decks now

IMHO

Hi again Centaur,

I find the Metrosexual tarot hilarious! It is a very good critic of our society, at least of one of its trends. I don't think it is offensive to anyone, certainly not to gay ppl as it is aimed towards "metrosexuals". I am not sure whether the authors want it to be taken seriously or just attempted to create an themed artdeck.

The Gay Tarot on the other hand is clearly an alternative to any standard tarot deck and I can easily imagine it as a powerful reading deck for gay tarot readers and/or gay querents. Congrats to Lee !!

I think both decks have different goals.

Anyway my two cents, being a redneck countryside heterosexual woman as i am ...

Kissa

Rusty Neon said:

Centaur ... For the record, "metrosexual" is a new jocular slang term used to describe urban, dandyish _straight_ males, not gay males.

Click to expand...

Thanks for all the comments!

Rusty, I have never heard of the term metrosexual referred to in such a way. In my experience, it is more a term attached to gay culture, in particular gay city-cultue. Perhaps it is a geographical thing. I think that regardless, it is a representation (whether deliberate or not) of a certain kind of gay-lifestyle. Perhaps this is most adequately described in the following definition I found in one of those links you posted (thanks):-

'A straight man who appears to be gay because he practices the dressing and grooming habits of a homosexual'

In other words, anything metrosexual could therefore be considered to be associated with being 'gay'.

HudsonGray, I agree that it is very cliched. I guess it is a deck aimed at achieving a different sort of audience... I can only think in horror as to what the minors must look like.

Kissa, I am LMAO at your David Beckham comment! MWAHA.

I don't think that the deck is offensive. I think that an adequate choice of words to describe it would be: 'lacking in depth'.

I agree with what all that has been said re. the Gay Tarot. I think it shall be going on my wish-list.

C

Thanks so much, everyone, for the kind comments about my deck!

I have to say, my impression from various newspaper articles, TV news stories, etc. is that the term "metrosexual" does indeed, as Rusty says, refer to heterosexuals. I think this is the way the Metrosexual Tarot means it as well, since there is a card called the "Gay Pal," which suggests that the protagonists of the deck aren't gay.

However, I agree with Centaur that the deck still reflects on gay people. If the term "metrosexual" means "heterosexuals who are like gay men," then the deck is indeed demonstrating gay stereotypes (bars, gyms, etc., etc. ad nauseam).

What really interests me is the tarot, and so when I see jokey things like this, I suppose it's clever but it just makes me yawn. You can't read with it, so what's the point, other than to have a good laugh at gay men's expense? It's the kind of thing you would see in a magazine, and then you'd turn the page and never think of it again.

Brian Williams's PoMo Tarot is a good example of a deck which manages to be modern, satirical and jokey while at the same time being well-informed about the tarot and being readable, as well as avoiding stereotypes.

-- Lee

Lee said:

I think this is the way the Metrosexual Tarot means it as well, since there is a card called the "Gay Pal," which suggests that the protagonists of the deck aren't gay.

Click to expand...

Good point. I did not notice that. But yes, I feel the same that the deck still reflects on gay-people due to the term and its associations with homosexuality.

I could never imagine reading with the MetroSexual Tarot. Could you imagine it?! It is actually quite hilarious the combinations one could come up with. For instance, if I wanted to find out about a new relationship and drew the Therapy and Prescriptions card then wouldn't that be a gloomy outcome! LOL.

I agree with you re. the PoMo. It is a nice little deck, with a punchy sense of humour.

C