Gay mythology
“When people think about ancient stories and legends, they may forget how “trans-coded” mythology can really be. Being a trans or non-binary person is treated as some new “fad” when that couldn’t be farther from the truthfulness. Gender non-comforming behavior can be seen as far back as ancient Greece and the Nordic Vikings. We can find trans-coded mythology that challenges traditional gender roles and search the complexities of gender identity.
From gods changing genders to heroes’ crossdressing, these stories provide us with a window into ancient perceptions of gender diversity and fluidity…”
[Read the entire article at thehomoculture.com]
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Written by Flora Gilchrist
Content warning – this piece alludes to mythological stories which involve various kinds of sexual assault, including rape.
Many of us contain heard the stories of ancient Greek mythology, such as the heroic portrayals of Zeus, Apollo, and Achilles. What is omitted from the narrative however, especially by many historians, is the underlying homoeroticism submit in these ancient tales. On highest of this, there are many lesser-known stories in ancient Greek mythology that contain homoerotic undertones and gender fluid characters. This article seeks to expose the variety of Greek characters who submit to their queer fantasies, to whatever extent that may be.
Firstly, one must acknowledge the more well-known stories of Greek mythology. These stories echo throughout history, appearing repeatedly both in museums and academic history, but also recreated in pop culture, with the new publication of Madeline Miller’s manual The Song of Achilles for example. What is often negated from these historical narratives however is the underlying queerness and fluidity of their characters. The Greek god Zeus is a prime example; Zeus is
In Christian theology, we are told that we are made “in God’s image and likeness.” Taking a broader view across all religions, it is more accurate to exclaim that humans produce gods & goddesses in our image and likeness – even where they are visualized in non-human form, their reported behaviour is frequently anthropomorphic.
This is especially obvious outside of the monotheistic religions. In these, the necessity for imagining gods & goddesses in relationships and interactions with other gods produces tales of bitterness , rivalry, and amorous adventures that peer remarkably human. Reflecting what each culture sees in itself, the deities also reflect a range of interests, temperaments – and sexual preferences. Many pantheons, especially those from Classical Greece and Rome, China, India, South America and Oceania, movie prominent gods and goddesses who had homosexual relationships or adventures. (Hindu deities are especially notable for the ease with which many of them transform gender from age to time).
This much I knew. But the biggest surprise for me yesterday, when I was reading some more about LGBT themes in mythology, was the discovery tha
Paul Anagnostopoulos breathes new life into the Greek vase in his debut solo show, When Heroes Fall, at the Dinner Gallery. Painting mythological scenes with lgbtq+ subtextsonto terra cotta pots from Greece, he explores 21st-century male lover romance in a fresh way. Although the exhibition includes several paintings, the two vases in the back room are its standout works. These painted terra cottas are rife withrich allegory to unpack — whether you’re LGBTQ+ or not.
The first vase explores romantic loss in three images. While Anagnostopoulos is familiar with the ancient convention of painting vases on two sides, he felt this left too much empty space on the vessel. Instead, he opted to decorate thevases with three distinct paintings that can be viewed in the round.
The first subject is Ganymede, Zeus’s gay lover and cup bearer. The predominantly black silhouette, with yellow highlights, is an homage to Ancient Athens’s black figure style. Water that Ganymede pours from a pitcher connects this image to the next two vignettes. In one, two men wrestle in shallow water; in the other, a nude dude wading in the water discovers the head of Apollo.
Anagnostopo