Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Participation in African-Inspired Traditions in the Americas

by Randy P. Conner, David Sparks

What roles do queer and transgender people play in the African diasporic religions? Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Participation in African-Inspired Traditions in the Americas is a groundbreaking scholarly exploration of this long-neglected subject. It offers clear insight into the complex dynamics of gender and sexual orientation, humans and deities, and race and ethnicity, within these richly nuanced spiritual practices.

Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions explores the ways in which gender complexity and same-sex intimacy are integral to the primary beliefs and practices of these faiths. It begins with a comprehensive overview of Vodou, Santeria, and other African-based religions. The second section includes extensive, revealing interviews with practitioners who offer insight into the intersection of their beliefs, their sexual orientation, and their gender identity. Finally, it provides a powerful analysis of the ways these traditions have inspired artists, musicians, and writers such as Audre Lorde, as well as informative interviews with the artists themselves.

In Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions, you will discover:
how the presence of androgynous divinities affects both faith and practice in Vodou, Candomble, Santeria, and other Creole religions
how the phenomenon of possession or embodiment by a god or goddess may validate queer identity and nurture gender complexity
who practices the African-derived spiritual traditions, what they believe, and who their deities are
how these faiths have influenced the art and aesthetic traditions of the West
This landmark book opens a fascinating new world of thought and belief. The authors provide rigorous documentation and faultless scholarly method as well as personal experience and the testimony of believers. Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions sheds new light on two widely different fields: LGBT studies and the theology of the African diaspora. A thorough bibliography points the way to further study, and an extensive photograph gallery provides a unique look at the believers and their practices. Every library with holdings in queer theory, African mythology, or sociology of religion should have this landmark volume.

Genres: Queer, LGBT, Nonfiction, Spirituality

402 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2004

Reviews

[Kath · Rating 1 out of 5]

This would have been much better if the authors had not fallen into the unfortunate trap of thinking "Gnostic Voudon" had anything to do with Haitian vodou. It meant I felt unable to trust anything they said about any of the other trads mentioned in the book when I knew that they had so badly misunderstood and misrepresented my own.
Vodou is a tradition that doesn't care about your personal sexual orientation and welcomes initiates of all orientations but there are no sex rites, ever. This dangerous confusion of white western appropriations with Vodou is an insult to those who took part in this book in good faith. Real and personal research with an actual Vodou priest/ess is essential!

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a total waste of money and falls apart at it's very foundation, given that the sources the authors drawn from are either known, blatant, and even criminal frauds, or people who are giving inaccurate information based on presumed initiation, which does not exist. It lacks cultural understanding for the religions it speaks about, and reaches for connections that blatantly do not exist within the given cultures or religions. This made me really sad--I had high hopes for this book, as queer and gender-variant folks in culturally based religions is a really important, very vital topic to discuss, but it falls flat in practically every way.

[Sam Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got that third star only because it is like the only book out there on the subject. Way to go for writing it! (Even if some of the reporting is fishy and misleading.) Very easy to read, which is rare for an "academic" book.

[Bran]

hope to read it soon

[Del · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a queering the sacred course with Randy at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Randy is a wonderful and informed professor and an excellent author.