No Disclaimers Tarot Tag! Overrated decks, tarot pet peeves, pregnant Empresses

[@Amyduckie]

I hadn't really given the pregnant Empress much of a thought, but the more I hear you talk about it, I tend to agree. I'd love to see a grey-haired 50-60 emperor and empress, that makes a lot of sense to me.

[@KateyFlowers]

Yesss!

[@Carocri31]

To me is annoying to see the pregnant empress 20 years old and the emperor being 50. And yes , when I couldn't get pregnant for many years the empress reminds me that all the time

[@Amyduckie]

@@Carocri31 omg yes! They’re meant to be a matching pair! That is one part of reality (massive power-imbalanced age gaps) that I really don’t care to see in my tarot

[@maggierestivo5256]

@hagstone Same here. I knew when I was still a child, that having children was not for me. I was never dissuaded from my choice. Luckily, I had parents who told me you did not need to be married or have children, to have a happy life. I am a writer and an artist and a poet and a witch and a medium, and very creative, thank you very much. Good for you, you sound like my late mother!!

[@serenityjewel]

I'm guessing she doesn't have kids?

[@savyjett]

100% with you on the Empress!! I HATE feeling like a woman is being boiled down to a uterus. I have work to do in this area, but especially right now, cant stand it.

[@thewitcheslife2061]

Agree. I haven’t come across it yet personally, but I hated pregnancy. I love being a mum and business owner, but not a happy pregnant lady!

[@VLoveCrystals]

I took part in this tag too if you'd like to check it out kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHvNhWevm7JqqdU

[@abbyp0918]

It's funny when you talked about the negative points about a deck being a positive for someone else. I can't tell you how many decks I've brought into my collection because of a "negative" point someone else had about a deck. This was perfectly said!

[@geminigreywolf6655]

Yes on all your answers! I especially agree with the asylum decks. The true history on how these people were treated is horrific. To me it’s like doing a deck on slavery, or other terrible things that have been done to human beings. These people were victims

[@KateyFlowers]

I honestly can’t believe that stuff like this is a thing in the tarot world sometimes,,, and that these decks are so celebrated by high profile people in the community. I haven’t said anything before because I was worried about the backlash tbh but it’s 2021 and I’m so over it.

[@thrivingselfcarerenee]

I agree with you both. Knowing that history of asylums, making decks based on them is just awful.

[@artseasoul]

Are you okay

[@maggierestivo5256]

Yes! Thank you!!!! It is like doing a deck on slavery!

[@zhmw]

I come from a Christian background, and one of the reasons I left church was because I wanted a direct relationship with the Divine, without anyone telling me what to believe or how to practice my faith. So, I am going to read, shuffle, cleanse, pick cards, and grow my own Tarot collection, and choose my top 10 decks, in my own way. As I feel inspired. For example, no matter how I shuffle, cards don't fall or jump out of the deck, so I pick cards that stick out at the top and they are more often than not, the cards that answer my question or give me an insight.

[@susanegley4149]

I appreciate honest thoughts and reviews! Money is not necessarily abundant for everyone, so it's important that we KNOW what we're buying as to not waste our money.

[@KateyFlowers]

Absolutely!

[@MsPrettyVermin]

Agree so over the pregnant Empress it’s so uninspiring, it reduces her power to nothing more that a patriarchal view of a woman purpose in the world.

[@lexwithbub]

Gatekeeping is definitely my pet peeve. Can't stand anyone telling others what they should and shouldn't do in their own personal tarot practice. As far as I'm concerned the only rules are 1) don't give health or legal advice if you're aren't licenced to do so (because it's illegal to do so) and 2) don't exploit your clients by trying to extort money from them, like the "oh you have a hex on you, pay more money for me to remove it" type of scam (also illegal)

[@southasianmystic]

I totally agree about the Empress card. If you actually think about it, very few nations had ruling queens or active queens who were that young, where they could get pregnant while being active rulers. Pregnancy - especially considering the timelines of when Empresses existed in abundance - typically happened when the women were young. Many were married off early, had multiple children for years into their marriage. And they seldom saw the light of the court or were part of any political discussions during this time. Typically, empresses came into their own much later, in their middle age or sometimes even closer to the golden years. With childbearing duty done and dusted, they could focus on the kingdom. Plus, with age and experience came wisdom to help the emperor rule the land wisely. The archetype of the Mother of the King/Future Ruler is so powerful, and she would often be one of the biggest influences on the king/emperor during their decision making. I think that core aspect of the empress is lost these days in the tarot. Yes, the image of the fertile and fecund partner of the ruler, as representing Mother Earth is valid. But the archetype of the Empress holds so much more potential and promise.

[@KateyFlowers]

Not to mention there have been plenty of empresses and queens (and equivalents) who have ruled independent of a male counterpart.

[@maggierestivo5256]

For a Queen who was most powerful after her childbearing years, one need look no further than Eleanor of Aquitaine.

[@wellappointedmystic]

While I know your goal here was to be a little “hot button” I found this video absolutely delightful. I appreciate your honesty and opinions. I want more opinions and review on KZbin and a few less flip throughs. Thanks for going out on a limb for this video.

[@morphinpink]

I've been thinking about that first point so much lately. I'm tired of decks being advertised as "diverse" and "inclusive" when the representation is less than bare minimum and the creator is a white cishet person charging something ridiculous like $80 for it. It's really gross to exploit the likeness of marginalised groups and turn it into a luxury item that's not even accessible to them.

[@thetarotofclaude]

Bonjour Katey! Thank you so much for doing this tag, I had great fun reflecting on the questions and filming my VR! I posted it this morning on my channel (since you asked to let you know 😉). I really appreciated your candid and uncomplicated way of presenting your opinions. So once again, a big thank you to you!

[@EsotericMysticPortal93]

The empress card traditionally represents the abundance of nature, particularly associated with the planet venus as ruler of the earth sign of Taurus - hence the association with pregnancy and fertility as well as the Greek goddess Demeter as goddess of harvest and mother of Persephone. This traditional meaning is based on the Golden Dawn conventional meanings.

[@VenusinVirtue]

I completely agree on pregnant empresses! As someone who doesnt want to have kids, it rubs me the wrong way. I cant imagine being a reader who struggles with fertility having to see so many pregnant empresses.

[@yiotanikolopoulou6247]

Thank you! I am tired of the pregnant Empress.

[@flugelmations]

I have the cosmic cycles tarot, it is really pretty. I need to use it more often. hopefully, you're able to get your hands on it soon 🥰

[@aquamarine18]

I am working on an in-depth video about pregnant Empress representations so this is timely. I will definitely do a VR to this tag. Thank you for stealing it from the book community because now I'll probably do a book version VR as well!! ❤😊

[@aquamarine18]

Also yeah a big 'ick' to asylum decks?! I didn't really know this was a thing and haven't ever owned the examples you mention. I can definitely see the issues there though. "Site of exclusion and violence repurposed as 'cool' aesthetic" is... nope.

[@KateyFlowers]

I look forward to your video on pregnant Empresses!

[@Merklinginc]

I’ve followed you for a few years now and really like your honesty and information about tarot. Thank you for your contribution here.

[@jamieloom22]

Another valuable video for the community. Thank you for your honesty and integrity.

[@moonstar4292]

Agree that the asylum decks are offensive. I also agree that many self-proclaimed diverse decks really aren’t very diverse at all

[@gnomie2.0]

Love all your points! I have the Mildred Payne because I saw someone using the deck on YT and loved the little “confronting” type images with one key word each on small cards. And I never really thought about the decks’ “backstory” 😱 because I didn’t even look at the material that came with the deck. Hmmm this is one to ponder now. I also struggle with mental illness as do many people I love. 💗

[@Peekaboorose]

You are KILLING it with these tags 🙌🏼YES to everything you've said about the pregnant Empress, about decks that tout "diversity and inclusion" when the effort is clearly laughable. The Devil in Slow Tarot was a very hard no for me as well. I was thinking to do a VR, but I feel as though you've covered a good majority of what I'd have to say 😂

[@KateyFlowers]

I am KILLING it with these (stolen and adjusted) tags! 🤣💜

[@AstralLadyTarot]

Liked this, Katey. As a matter of fact, my video with the tag #TarottubePetPeeves is going up tomorrow! Hope to see you there because there are some overlaps here ;)

[@AstralLadyTarot]

And I even already mentioned you in it!

[@pamelabatchelor9204]

im so annoyed over naked women or topless women in so many decks instant turnoff to me because it is simply just sexualisation of women with no other purpose women are so much more and needs recognition

[@Bunnykisses1000]

…..and the crotches on the goddess decks! Drives me nuts! I dont want to see crotches on my decks…. or dicks! I like tarot to be classic!

[@jennyfer_rebecca]

I am super thankful for your honesty and transparency. I always learn so much from your videos regardless of the topic you are speaking on. I go away thinking about something you have said and being able to agree with you or see it from another perspective that brings new light to it. As person who has a difficult time articulating my thoughts out to others, I am always in ah with how you can be so concise with your content in such a short video. Love them!!! Thank you for your videos!!!

[@MysticalEmpowerment]

Oh, the young, pregnant, white empress! LOL I couldn't agree more. Too much of that around. It has gone beyond being tiresome. And I agree about Laura Bowen's decks! I have both and I love them. They certainly are decks that I believe deserve a lot more love than they are getting. What a fun set of questions! I'll have to do something like this in the future. I'll leave a message when I do. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Katey. I always enjoy your videos. 💖

[@thewavesofyoursoul]

You make the best tags Katey I loved this 😊 I am so there with you with the pregnant empress, just like a pope for hierophant I’m over it. I get what they are trying to say but please give us something else. I think cosmic cycles might come back? It’s great I love this deck I hope you can get your hands on it at some point it’s really cool the way there are several characters you encounter throughout the deck and see their stories evolve. Also the elitism sometimes going on omg yes I have so much to say about this… I will definitely make a vr haha. Merci beaucoup ☺️ ♥️

[@KateyFlowers]

I look forward to your response!

[@jillthetree9173]

Thanks Katey ! great video. so much fun. I always appreciate your voice and self awareness.

[@kelly-annmaddox]

Errrr. Ok I am going to do this tag! 🤣 Haven't started watching this yet but... yeah

[@lotusr5888]

I really like to hear you talk about your opinions. They are inspiring! Whether it uses new ways to give expression to the cards' meanings is the most important point for me when it comes to making decision on buying a new tarot deck. And yes, I don't need more pregnant Empresses or hanged Hanged Men (what am I saying😂)

[@jasonmunn545]

I’m new to Tarot, and am glad to have found your channel. I think you’re great! Keep up the good work.

[@DogsRGr8]

So agree with the Empress card. A woman and even a mother is so much more than just her ability to procreate. The emperor is never portrayed overyly as father, so why? Also, I am sick of cards with swords stuck through hearts and bodies. Like in EVERY deck? Let’s get a little bit of imagination for the suit of swords.

[@moonkisses2295]

I have the cosmic cycles it's such a lovely deck I had no clue it was out of print. I wonder why it's just amazing.

[@AnyaEsma]

Thanks for taking this tag from the book community. 💖 Just uploaded my response on my channel.

[@nancyhart576]

Love this video. And totally agree about preg Empress. Thank you!

[@ManojoDeMagia]

I loooove your channel! Thank you for these videos. 😃

[@hermit.masteroflight5970]

Hi Katey. Thank you for your video, a very refreshing one, that I very much appreciate. I am also so tired of the pregnant empress that I am considering modifying my empress cards.. I don't know how yet but I will come up with some idea. I am tired of dark, creepy psychotic sick decks.. Enough is enough.. Why should everything always look like it was meant for a serial killer?. I do kabbalistic type of readings which are meant to help to see a wider, more profitable and more positive ways to use any sort of situation, including the really negative ones.. So using a dark tarot deck does not come into question. Best regards, Lior, the fool hermit.

[@TheTarotTree]

Really enjoyed this tag! Haha we need this sassy, upfront, opinionated energy from time to time in Tarot tube! I honestly agree with you on the asylum based decks, it’s such a recent quite horrific part of our human history that still has impacts to this day and i feel it is better off being left alone. Also, a quick heads up on the Cosmic Cycles tarot, i messaged the seller recently and she told me herself that they were looking to restock it early next year and she’d message me on Etsy when it was available, so it might be worth reaching out to her and keeping tabs on it on there! I too was really gutted to miss out on it first time round because it has such beautiful artwork and energy behind it, so hopefully we can get lucky this time around! Much love and light as always x

[@frankatzenzungen]

Yes! The pregnant Empress does often feel lazy to me and really limiting.

[@zhmw]

There is nothing limiting about a pregnant Empress nor a pregnant woman.

[@luciev.7844]

The more opinionated the better! I’m with you with the asylum theme - I - just - can’t. Also the pregnant empress. Thank you!!

[@jeanbaptiste631]

My problem with decks who say that are diverse and inclusive *overall* decks is... That out of 78 cards there's like less than 5 cards of a specific race or ethnicity and as an asian myself, I see like the asian representation in decks are being *borderline* tokenized in such decks that claim to be diverse and inclusive but hey, that's the artist's choice after all so I can't say nothing 'cause I'm not gonna go to the artist' s email and say: "Hey, your deck lacks a lot" 🤷. That's my opinion though. Also, the lack of age in those diverse and inclusive decks is lacking too from a lot of decks that claim the inclusivity title. But I guess it's hard to please everyone in a deck of 78 cards or... It isn't?

[@KateyFlowers]

Tokenisation is definitely a big issue, and I loved Sparkle Divine Tarot's video on that topic recently. I personally don't expect every deck to include every variation and combination of identity, but I do think that across the many, many decks that are published each year, we should be getting a lot closer to a world of tarot that is representative and realistic! And you're so right, age, as well as disability, are some areas of representation in tarot that is sorely lacking.

[@jeanbaptiste631]

@@KateyFlowers Hopefully so! Because I'm still waiting for a deck that is inclusive and diverse that can make me have feelings of being proud, joyful and can see a lot of communities represented and can make me tear eyed of how inclusive and diverse it is 🤣!

[@Carocri31]

Imagine being from Southamerica hahahah you will never find yourself in a deck, I am white Italian type but a lot of people from other cities and countries don't. So to see the world around me is nearly impossible. So I stop looking for that in a deck. But for those who still care The next chapter tarot is very inclusive and pretty

[@jeanbaptiste631]

@@Carocri31 Yes! This is a problem too. As someone who grew up with a lot of people from multiple countries of South America around me... I wonder why they aren't that much represented in a tarot deck either. The only thing you will ever see as a representation of South America in Tarot or Oracle decks is just Día de los Muertos or La Catrina or Santa Muerte, which is like more into mexican culture, lol. I am kind of giving up on finding that “perfect” diverse and inclusive deck because I don't think it will ever exist, lol.

[@RhiannonRambles]

not me over here just unboxing a OOP MAAT Tarot deck that I just paid over $400 for 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️ (walk of shame)

[@Black.DragonTarot]

Another card that ruined the slow tarot for me was the 10 of swords. Unnecessarily graphic for me - I'm lucky I found it cause as you said, most of the deck is gorgeous!

[@legacyhuntress]

I love Cosmic Cycles as well. The creator sent out an email in December saying they should have the second printing out by spring 2022.

[@SunsetBoughTarot]

Argh TOTALLY AGREE on the pregnant Empress, I’m so sick of it. Such a lazy and reductive way to symbolize creative power. I guess I had never paid much attention to the emergence of “asylum”-themed decks because they are so wildly not my style to begin with but now that you have pointed it out…yeah that is pretty deeply fucked up. The Devil in the Slow Tarot was a hard dealbreaker card for me as well-lack of representation of fat bodies is already such an issue in tarot art and that just took it to a new (and for me, triggering) level. And now I’ve gotta stop rehashing all the great points in this video because the entire video is nothing BUT great points. 😆💖💖💖

[@MariusMoonbeam]

I agree with the empress, I don’t want children and I don’t identify with any pregnant imagery. It’s the empress, she should be powerful and dominant. Plus, I feel like by making the empress so “motherly”, you pigeonhole her into a lane that she does operate in but make it seem like that’s her only role. Not to mention, there are many ways so showcase abundance, beauty, and creativity. The chariot, wheel of fortune, sun, and star are also some cards that I feel like have lazy depictions. I also feel like the entire suit of swords is almost always depicted the same and as someone who identifies with that suit the most out of the deck, it really bothers me that all the cards are almost always depicted the same. Especially the 3-10. I feel like there’s so much you can do with the suit of swords (it’s literally about the mental sphere and things relating to that) but creators rarely try. It’s something that I’ve just gotten used to and I’m more prone to become pissy solely about the 3 being a heart stabbed to death. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why the 3 is shown the way it is but…I still fucking hate it. Finally, I agree about the Slow Tarot. I love the deck and the artwork but I genuinely don’t like the Devil and a few other cards. I don’t read the devil as gluttony or even a bad card if I’m being honest-more like a reminder and a warning of materialism, indulgence, and recklessness-and having a fat person depicted in that card is off putting to me and seems extremely negative for no reason. Ironically, another deck that I want but find problematic is the Terra Volatile Tarot: the art is beautiful and I love the depictions for the most part but the way “natives” are depicted (as savages) and the odd whitewashing of the Buddha is…extremely annoying and disrespectful to me as a POC. Sorry for the long ass comment. Love your videos!

[@VenusinVirtue]

I agree that a 3 of swords that is just 3 swords stabbing a heart is overdone and lazy at this point. Its about how we heal and move on from heartbreak, we really cant think of other imagery???

[@KateyFlowers]

Love the long comment. And totally agree about the 3 of Swords. I actually don’t mind the depiction, but it does feel lazy when artists stick with this imagery even though the rest of their deck is creative and fresh. 🥴

[@MariusMoonbeam]

@@KateyFlowers that’s normally my main beef with the 3 of Swords. All the other cards in the suit will be something different and there’s that damn heart bleeding out 😒

[@eilane9424]

I'd say my biggest pet peeve is all one gender decks. I adore the artwork of Modern Witch Tarot, but the amount of feminine characters just throws me off. I understand how some people love it but it just isn't for me. Also hierophant being a pope just... No. Again, I get why it is but for me it's a big no. I love the Spacious tarot hierophant, because it doens't scream one belief system to me.

[@casteelsimp3539]

The modern witch deck is meant to be all women and androgynous ppl. It's kinda it's thing.

[@DanielECulbertson]

@@casteelsimp3539 Which would be fine, except that it should have been given a different name. A deck that omits all masculine people that calls itself "The Modern Witch Tarot" implies that men are not able to be a part of the modern witch community. It plays into the thought that men cannot be witches, as if the term "witch" is reserved only for women. Not a fan of that.

[@casteelsimp3539]

@@DanielECulbertson Male witches started referring to themselves as wizards a lot in 2019-2021 so maybe that was the reason idk I'm assuming

[@simonfernandes6809]

@@casteelsimp3539 Nope, that's not the reason. The Modern Witch Tarot excludes male witches of which there are plenty. Not exactly inclusive of the witchy community. Displays the creator's bias and is difficult to defend.

[@isabel-bluesapphire]

Loved this - I don't like seeing a Pregnant Empress. If you are talking about Diversity, this totally flies in the face of that in my mind. I love the Empress in Gill Tarot or any where it is about the abundance of the land and nature. I wanted the Dark Mansion for ages and then listened to some discussions about it and realised that I was really put off by some of the images. Totally with you on the Asylum decks as well. Gosh - so many of these I agree with totally!

[@starlaburst]

it’s been 12 days and no one has done this tag 😭 I keep checking back. this is such a good one.

[@iralell]

Wow. Just looked up the cards you mentioned had ruined the Harmonious Tarot and Slow Tarot for you and-yikes-I 100% agree!

[@lunaeaweatherstone7906]

One of the reasons I'm pushing myself to start my own KZbin channel is to answer tags like this one! I'm dying to talk about what decks I think are overrated. 😄

[@PopFizzPaperDani]

I can see why some people dislike the pregnant Empress, but I have no real preference either way about it. It’s about creation from within and releasing that creation powerfully into the world, right? My guess is that attempts to show that concept differently or more imaginatively could skew more towards Magician imagery, which maybe is why artists may hesitate to go there? If they could find other ways that still make sense visually, I’d be open to it and think it would be good to have more diversity.

[@indigohourglass9185]

I am right there with you about the pregnant empress.

[@Merlin_reads_books]

Pregnant Empress is also a big no-no for me. It's not a deal-breaker but almost. Me too, I keep looking for the Cosmic Cycles tarot on secondhand websites, hoping I'll get lucky but so far no luck

[@KateyFlowers]

Yeah it’s not a deal breaker for me, it’s more a big groan of ‘really? Again?!” 🙄

[@karebear5634]

The pregnant Empress, lack of representation, and asylum decks, yes, yes, yes! Right there with you. Love your videos!

[@ren_kitsune]

Cosmic Cycles has gotten a reprint this summer and will get one more soon! Subscribe to their newsletter! I am really looking forward to it too! It's so lovely 😍

[@kerripowell-holistic_lifecoach]

Yes to the pregnant Empress!!!! (as in I'm not a fan!) OMG! The Granny Smith! That was my grandma's name!!!

[@KateyFlowers]

I got the name wrong in the video, it’s Granny Jones! Oops! 😅

[@kerripowell-holistic_lifecoach]

@@KateyFlowers Oh good! I don't 'need' another deck 🤣

[@KS-md3uj]

I love my shadowscapes tarot...it was a great first deck

[@ScottishGing3r]

The comic cycles is still in print. You just need the illustrators link.

[@Kaptnkrnch]

I really enjoy your videos so much, thank you.

[@SeasideTarot]

I agree with you about the asylum tarots and I sold my Slow tarot for the same reason. Also, I think any deck based on human tragedies is tasteless.

[@jennybird2770]

I love this topic! Thank you so much. One card that ruined decks for me: 1)The moon card in the Japaritize (i'm sure I spelled that wrong- haha!) tarot- I just don't dig disembodied eyeballs. 2) more than one of the animal themed tarots I have have a card with an animal with either a twig or sword or candle gouged in the eyes of an animal- whhhhhyyyyy??? Yuck! Haha! I can handle the 10 of swords with the person with the swords in the back but I just cringle at animal cruelty- because clearly only a human would gouge something into an animals eyes. It's too bad, because the art in these decks in beautiful, but I just can't take those images. So i'm thinking of getting rid of those decks that show animal cruelty. :(

[@boniw698]

Gosh I loved this. I too have mental health issues anxiety related and don’t like the stigma of cards making fun of our issues. Plus never been into any pregnant card goddess. Not even mermen😏😁 Thank you for this insightful discussions. 💐🌹💕

[@pvanhise]

I was wondering if you could recommend any tarot decks that would be good for those of us with BPD.

[@KateyFlowers]

I don’t know of any tarot decks that are designed specifically for people with BPD, so I would just suggest picking something that appeals to you and that you think you could work well with. 😊

[@rochelle178]

I think it might have been one of your videos before where you pointed out the Devil card in the Slow Tarot, and yep that definitely ruined the entire deck for me too. It's sad because I think that deck is overall very beautiful and I'd enjoy it but... that Devil card is a nope.

[@truthinshadowdeed925]

I agree with you on so many levels especially with the Empress I like the Empress in the Anna K

[@maxinecarter4934]

Hi Kate, Are you still doing readings?

[@Aro-Tarot]

Totally agree with the Empress bit. I find it hard to read at times going between decks because some decks go more into a mother archetype while others go into the abundance and creativity more. And I find it a bit annoying, honestly, how some decks lean into motherhood for the Empress so much and then not fatherhood for the Emperor? At least imagery-wise. I’ve seen mention of fatherhood for him with different decks, but then I don’t see it in the picture like I do with a lot of Empress cards. That’s why with the deck I’ve been making for myself and my brother, which is a BBC Merlin deck, I chose Hunith for The Empress. You get that motherhood, but also she raised Merlin by herself in that small village. I can see the other traits with her there, and it’s nice to see an older Empress. With deck prices, also same, like the most I’ve spent on a deck, or rather was a gift to me that I picked out, was the original printing of the Vertigo Tarot. I think it was like $100-$150? But like, that’s also a deck that is out-of-print and that came out in 1995. Also the only out-of-print deck I really really wanted. 😂 (Also I just agree with the rest of your points too lol)

[@trishrego3983]

Sassy Flowers! Say it! I'm 46. The last thing I need is a pregnant empress. The worst one is Tarot of Mystical Moments.....there's AN EMBRYO!

[@pandalynn7716]

Lol. I love the pregnant empress. Shes so voluptuous and gaiaesk😍💞

[@alternativewitchyunicorn]

Maybe it’s cuz I’m new but I haven’t ran into a pregnant empress yet lol

[@maggierestivo5256]

Love your comments on the Empress! I could not agree more. (In tv shows, when a woman gets pregnant, I call it a female character's "jumping the shark", as the writers are lazy and can't think of anything else to do for her, but get her pregnant... this is especially annoying when the personality and lifestyle of the character does not support this abrupt 360 degree pivot. *koff* Murphy Brown *koff*.) I'm an opinionated Wiccan who loves her decks, but is particular about what decks she chooses. (Of course, the gods/goddesses DO draw you to some....) I had never heard of Tarotube! (Is it all one word, like KZbin?) As one opinionated tarot reader to another....keep up the great work! A woman of my own heart.

[@wirilli6420]

Yay!!! Thinking person KZbin ! My thing!

[@thewitcheslife2061]

I saw a negative review of The Literary Witches Oracle and it came from a lack of understanding of the female authors featured in the deck. I’m a Literature major, so a lot of these women I have studied and going through the deck I was like “yes! Plath’s familiar is the bees! Of course!” I made that connection instantly. This person was reviewing the deck and saying it’s confusing, and to me that felt like she maybe wasn’t as well read on those authors as she may have initially thought. There are some authors on the deck I haven’t read, but overall it’s a culturally diverse deck considering how niche the parameters are! I plan on doing a reply video when I have time.

[@shadowmoontarot3781]

Very interesting tag. I really enjoyed watching your responses, although one of your overrated decks is one of my favorites! :) I don't consider negative reviews as bad as long as they are not ill-intended and they provide constructive criticism. How are we supposed to correct mistakes or prevent undesirable consequences, if we can't pinpoint what doesn't work? Can't wait to see other people's answers. :)

[@KateyFlowers]

Thanks so much for your comment - I’m glad you enjoyed the video! I don’t think all negative reviews need to be ‘constructive’. Reviewers aren’t editors, they’re obligation is not to help the creator improve. And sometimes stuff is just harmful and deserves to be called out.

[@thrivingselfcarerenee]

@@KateyFlowers I think we can absolutely still call out harmful stuff and be constructive. When I say constructive I think more in terms of not name calling or being outright abusive in what we say. Far too many seem to think that constructive means we can't be negative or call out bullsh*t, but we can. We just don't have to be actually abusive about it. Not that this is happening here, but I've seen far too often someone, myself included, called a bully for being honestly and constructively negative about something we dislike just because what I or others have said is negative rather than positive. That's why I like to differentiate between constructive, as in non-abusive, not name calling, etc, and being a true bully or a troll, who resort to name calling, threats, etc.

[@KateyFlowers]

Thanks for clarifying. I think we have a different understanding of what ‘constructive criticism’ means. I’ve always understood it to be a kind of feedback aimed at helping someone improve their work. I don’t think reviewers owe creators that - they are entitled to be straight up critical when they feel that is necessary. But I agree that being even very strongly critical doesn’t mean a reviewer is necessarily bullying.

[@weststartarot-Liz]

Omg! I just cannot with pregnant empresses!!!! I mean she’s a ruler, a leader, she’s a boss!!!! I like your point about it’s kind of a lazy way to portray the Empress….. I don’t want a positive review or a negative review necessarily, I want an honest review! And totally with you on the “asylum” decks really thoughtless. Great video, quite enjoyed it!

[@Songofthehealer]

I suffer from depression and mood swings all of my life, however, I am also black. I never could tell if they were attributing my depression and mood swings to me being black, or what. Needless to say, I've experienced a lot of prejudice and I don't know if it's because I am black, depressed or both.

[@jacademic6832]

re: The Harmonious Tarot, I know exactly which card (King of Pentacles) you mean, because it spoiled the deck for me as well. I'm a literature scholar with sub-specializations in fairy tales/Victorian children's illustration, so I enjoy collecting "retrofitted" fairy tale decks with art from Victorian/Edwardian illustrators like Edmund Dulac, Arthur Rackham, John Bauer, etc., and I wanted to get the Harmonious Tarot for Walter Crane's artwork. While racial/anti-black caricature is very much a part of the history of that era of children's illustration (a subject that does bear discussion in a larger discourse about the ways contemporary society fetishizes/romanticizes particular Victorian/early 20th century aesthetics; see also your point about asylum decks), I was really unpleasantly surprised that Lo Scarabeo would uncritically replicate those representations of blackness in a retrofitted deck (i.e. the publisher had complete creative control). It is one thing to replicate those images in a book, acknowledging their history and the harm they've done and continue to do; it's quite another to replicate them in a tarot deck, which is functionally an art object/spiritual tool presented to us as something aesthetic and beautiful.

[@KateyFlowers]

Yes! I totally agree! Thank you for sharing this so eloquently!

[@jacademic6832]

@@KateyFlowers Oh, no trouble at all! I was pretty thrilled when that was one of the decks you mentioned because it's definitely the one that popped into my head when I saw question #4. I've so rarely seen the King of Pentacles mentioned in discussions of that deck, so it was very refreshing not to feel quite so alone in my objections, haha.

[@lexwithbub]

Also, it is impossible to give an unbiased opinion. That's the whole thing about personal opinion - it is formed within the framework of our existing biases! By definition an opinion IS biased!

[@KateyFlowers]

Absolutely! I feel like our society has an unhealthy obsession with the idea of objectivity. Subjectivity isn’t a dirty word!

[@tamipie]

I am SO doing this tag on instagram!

[@jacquidary2507]

I 💜 you & your channel👩🏼‍🎤

[@youngretireesclub]

the wild unknown tarot does have a representation of the empress that isn't pregnant tho! ;)

[@KateyFlowers]

Yes, I know 🙃

[@ren_kitsune]

With the aboriginal decks... as a white person I feel worried of overstepping boundaries if I use them...

[@AuntyKsTarot]

So with you on the asylum thing for the same personal reasons

[@KateyFlowers]

❤️

[@IndigoViolet122]

You said Granny Smith tarot, I think you meant Granny Jones tarot. Honest mistake. 🍏 What a fun deck!

[@KateyFlowers]

Yep. I was obviously craving an apple 😅

[@ox-micha-xo]

Yeah, pregnancy doesn't speak creativity to me at all--personally. I appreciate, understand and respect when people don't like or jive with something, but I don't like when people leave negative comments that are just blunt or rude. I fell in love with forhaxa and on a flip through I watched somebody was just like "what an ugly deck" 🤬😖☹️😓 was basically my emotional whiplash lol 🤣. I know i shouldn't take things personally and didn't respond. But I feel the same way when people just leave rude comments to attack people also. *Sigh* moral standard issues maybe

[@ox-micha-xo]

You're blunt in a good way 😜😋💖 you make a point and argue it instead of just wanting to be meant. Hope that makes sense

[@thrivingselfcarerenee]

I too am SO done with the pregnant Empress. I knew as a young teenager that I didn't want to have children. I've been married 19 years now and have remained child-free by choice. I also have dealt with endometriosis and adenomyosis for over 20 years now, so I do NOT see my reproductive organs and cycle as a blessing like so many do. I honestly wish they were gone because of the chronic issues they cause me. I'm completely sick of the pregnant Empress. Just done... Deck creators need to find a new way to represent the Empress. I also support negative reviews when they are constructive. It's fine if they're subjective or biased or whatever, but we don't need to be nasty about it. As you said, what I dislike someone else may love and that's totally OK. I've absolutely watched anti-haul type videos and went out and bought decks from those because I personally did like them. I think we just need to be honest and constructive in our critiques. 😊 Also definitely wanting to see more diversity in decks, especially in size. I'm a bigger woman and I'd love to see more people who look like me in decks. I'd also like to see more disability in decks too, as I'm disabled as well.

[@pyenygren2299]

I would love to see a better inclusion in both the court cards and other cards with humans. 1) Too many are too masculine or feminine. 2) Skincolour and different sizes is a bare minimum.

[@aprilssweetdelirium8728]

Be glad you didn't invest in the Cosmic Cycles Tarot. I purchased it from her on Etsy in January and never got the deck or any replies to my messages. She posted one reason or another but never got back at all. I loved that deck so much and shelled out over $50 for it only to be ripped off. Very disheartening for this to happen in this community as well. Great video btw I agreed with you about diversity in decks. ❤

[@KateyFlowers]

Omg?! That’s awful! I’m so sorry to hear you had that experience!!

[@tarottarantulas]

Lame, how frustrating!!! A couple months ago I paid over $100 for a Harry Potter deck. 2 cards came damaged. Creator said they were sending replacements.....all I've gotten so far was excuses now no replies. Now I have salty feelings for the whole deck.

[@aprilssweetdelirium8728]

@@tarottarantulas I agree it is very frustrating. Unfortunately I have a couple independent deck but they cost too much to gamble on for me right now. There are some great artist out there.

[@nicnaknoc]

Yes yes yes to the asylum "aesthetic" being offensive, gross and very strange

[@honeypot9867]

I didn’t even know that there was a market for asylum based decks. It’s an odd premise to say the least. I don’t agree with the empress point. I enjoy seeing the strong, independent, young mother to be. I think the fact that a young woman on the way to being a mother representing power and authority is kinda bad-ass. I don’t have anything to say on the fat phobia comment. I know nothing about that corner of the world but I definitely think that having the devil be the only heavy set person is an interesting choice. Just my opinion, all love to those who agree and disagree

[@crab3696]

Overrated - agree with u on wild unknown.

[@ThePoetryofTarot]

Thank you! I love your honesty. I actually love the pregnant Empress, especially since there are so few images of pregnancy in the cards. (There is a wonderful seven of pentacles with a pregnant woman in a pumpkin patch in the Mother Peace tarot!) Pregnancy is itself symbolic in this card of creativity and generosity and unconditional love. All of us came from a pregnant woman, from a woman's body, and I find it odd that people seem often threatened, hostile, or contemptuous of this image. It's as if they find it prescriptive, ie: "you must bear a child or you're not really a woman," or some such nonsense. I see the pregnant Empress as symbolic of that great generosity we all carry, how we give life to not only our human children, but to friends, projects, political causes, our gardens, our practices, the other-than--human world. I guess one of my questions is "why are there not more pregnant women represented in the cards?" The image of pregnant women, rather than being romanticized, are stigmatized. This may be backlash to cultural expectations and the notion that "biology is destiny." But that seems like it would apply more to my generation, who grew up before reliable birth control, and when many career paths were not open to women. So I guess I just don't get the level of animosity I sometimes hear (not from you, but in some forums), towards this card. As a woman who had a child when I was a teenager and then because of medical problems couldn't have any more, the pregnant woman resonates for me. Mother of the Universe.

[@KateyFlowers]

I don’t have an issue with the idea of the Empress being represented as pregnant on principle. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a pregnant Empress. What I do have a problem with is how often the Empress is depicted as pregnant. It begins to feel like a reminder that women’s sole role (even for a powerful figure like an Empress!) is reproduction… That women are defined by their ability to birth, which historically has very much been the case. The Empress isn’t titled ‘Mother’ and yet the card has become synonymous with that archetype due to the prevalence of this representation. Which, when paired with the way the Emperor is often depicted, reinforces sexist stereotypes and gender roles. I don’t want to cancel pregnant Empresses. I just want to see more variety in the way this archetype is depicted.

[@thrivingselfcarerenee]

Creativity, generosity, and unconditional love can be represented and depicted through so many other things than pregnancy or being a mother/parent. The pregnant Empress feels so reductive as the primary representation of those things. As someone who has had mother issues, is child-free by choice, and deals with ongoing chronic illness contributed to by faulty reproductive organs, I'd like to see those things represented outside of pregnancy and motherhood more often.

[@ThePoetryofTarot]

@@KateyFlowers I don't have a problem when the Empress is NOT pregnant - not at all. But I would like to see more images of pregnancy. I also believe that women should not be defined by their biology, but to leave pregnancy out, when it is such a common experience, seems a kind of exclusion of women's experience. I agree I'd like to see more women of color, fat women, older women, as the Empress. Thanks for making me think about this more critically.

[@fuumaxkamui]

Commenting early: bonestone tarot makes me so annoyed, it’s a beautiful deck that’s living on the scarcity principle for no fuckin reason. I get that the one half of the creation, Avalon something? really bungled the whole thing but the artist has released other decks on her own and there’s no reason for arbitrarily capping a deck at 1000 copies. It’s the same crap baba studios employs in order to drive sales under the ruse of “qUaLiTY (TM)” 🙄🙄🙄 which honestly again is so fuckin stupid because instead of making a ton of money themselves they’re just letting scalpers into the community with disgusting practices and letting people blow thousands of their dollars on shitty scalpers.

[@VLoveCrystals]

Thank you so much! I love this tag. Here;s my video response kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHvNhWevm7JqqdU

[@straycat4427]

Yep, the idea that ALL women want to have children and be mothers really pisses me off. To be reduced to simply a breeder makes me mad. It's the laziest representation in the entire deck in my opinion. There is even a deck that has the world card as a pregnant women.....a super thin, white woman who looks like she's 15 years old. Ugh...The Madhouse Tarot....one of the worst deck themes ever. I was shocked and repulsed when I saw it and I have a couple decks by that creator. I treasure my older decks and vintage decks the most. It's maddening to see the prices soooo high!

[@joannerussell2523]

👆

[@northerlyartemis]

I bought The Ghost Tarot a while ago, and the High Priestess card just ruined the whole deck for me. In it, she’s a stern looking nun! A nun!

[@lexyladybug81]

well i highly dislike the modern witch tarot.. biggest waste of money

[@DanielECulbertson]

Wow, I didn't even realize asylum decks were a thing. Gross. Also, I completely agree about pregnant Empresses. As a person who is childless by choice, I am really sick of the societal message that having children is the only worthwhile way to create something meaningful in this world. Just because someone doesn't want to have or raise children does not mean that they cannot create abundance in their own - or someone else's - life. The pregnant Empress isn't necessarily *bad*, it's just overdone. It's time for some new imagery!