Binaries in the tarot

I have been musing on The Emperor and The Empress tarot cards, they have always been problematic for me. I find their gendered correlations limiting; the nurturing mother Empress (that word nurturing makes me recoil), and The Emperor, a patriarchal throw-back, demanding obedience and order.

I think a lot about binaries these days in witchcraft, the tarot, and in general. There is a rising awareness of non-binary and gender-neutral ideologies. I am not non-binary, I am a she/her - but that doesn’t mean I accept the gender biases of the past. I identify as a woman perhaps because I was born into a female body; but my life has been spent pushing back against what that might mean: object, subject, partner, hand-maiden, care-giver, obedience, sex-toy, submissive, quiet, lady-like.

When I think of the polarity between The Emperor and The Empress, I have difficulty really feeling into these cards because I get hung up (and irritated) on the gendered binary. The Emperor — actively ruling his domain through leadership, will, and discipline. The Empress, his partner, pregnant, ruling the domestic domain through receptivity, a willingness to serve, to love, and to nurture.

I think there is meaning in that polarity between activity and passivity, strength of will and surrender – I just don’t like that they are attached to gender. The tarot, particularly the major arcana, are archetypal, and archetypes provide the scaffolding that our meanings are built on. If we think of the feminine as being ‘nurturing’, we can easily see women as being in service to others’ needs. When we see a woman who asserts herself, there is something unfeminine about that. Conversely, for men, if we see a man who is nurturing, we see that as feminine also.

I don’t believe there is a character trait that is actually attached to sex. There are plenty of character traits that are attached to gender; but that is the restrictive, unhealthy aspect of gender identity. Does estrogen really make you more nurturing? Does testosterone make you more aggressive?

I struggle with what my struggle means magically. So much of my own consciousness, and understanding of magic rests in binaries. I love the structure, lineage and evolution of the traditional tarot - the 22 major arcana, the 16 court cards, and the 40 minor arcana cards. Roughly 600 years of evolving from card-game to myth-maker. Most of the modern oracles make me cringe, but I do think there could be an evolution to the tarot that liberates us from antiquated ideas of masculine and feminine.

I am interested in what others think on this topic. Myself, I am more curious than decided. If you have an opinion, I would like to hear it.