יִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃

And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

Discussion Questions

1. What if these characters were queer women?
2. What themes does this passage hint at that are relevant to queer women?
3. How does centering queer women change the meaning of the text?

Commentary

Chava Session (Summer 2018)

Water

3 steps: humankind men women → → No mention of sexuality

Earth

Disagree – possibility of gender non-binary, fluidity, intersex in creation. Therefore, in Eden, zonot were not a possibility. First, because priesthood did not exist as a structure; second, because not necessarily strictly male and female sex/gender.

Fire

What is God’s image? “God is queer”

Instead of “disagree” it should be agree, there is no mention of sexuality + NB + other queer-isms.

Folks say God created all his children in his image + therefore God’s children are perfect.

Therefore God made queers. Queers are perfect.

Air

Here G-d is referring to themselves in the plural and singular. Although G-d refers to G-dself as male grammatically, when G-d refers to the Earthlings, the reflection of G-d’s self, they are reflected as both male and female (not necessarily separately). G-d does not exist in gender binary. Earthlings, as a reflection of G-d, do not either.