Queer Ancient Ways: A Decolonial Exploration

by Zairong Xiang

Queer Ancient Ways advocates a profound unlearning of colonial/modern categories as a pathway to the discovery of new forms and theories of queerness in the most ancient of sources (thereby also unlearning queer theory as it has been understood in contemporary, primarily Anglo-American and western European contexts). In this radically unconventional work, Zairong Xiang investigates scholarly receptions of mythological figures in Babylonian and Nahua creation myths, exposing the ways they have consistently been gendered as feminine in a manner that is not supported, and in some cases actively discouraged, by the texts themselves. An exercise in decolonial learning-to-learn from non-Western and non-modern cosmologies, Xiang’s work uncovers a rich queer imaginary that has been all-but-lost to modern thought, in the process critically revealing the operations of modern/colonial systems of gender/sexuality and knowledge-formation that have functioned, from the Conquista de America in the sixteenth century to the present, to keep these systems in obscurity.

At the heart of Xiang’s argument is an account of the way the unfounded feminization of figures such as the Babylonian (co)creatrix Tiamat, and the Nahua creator-figures Tlaltecuhtli and Coatlicue, is complicit with their monstrification. This complicity tells us less about the mythologies themselves than about the dualistic system of gender and sexuality within which they have been studied, underpinned by a consistent tendency in modern/colonial thought to insist on unbridgeable categorical differences.

By contextualizing these deities in their respective mythological, linguistic, and cultural environments, through a unique combination of methodologies and critical traditions in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Nahuatl, Xiang departs from the over-reliance of much contemporary queer theory on European (post)modern thought. Much more than a queering of the non-Western and non-modern, Queer Ancient Ways thus constitutes a decolonial and transdisciplinary engagement with ancient cosmologies and ways of thought which are in the process themselves revealed as theoretical sources of and for the queer imagination.

Genres: Queer, Nonfiction, History, Queer Studies, LGBT, Gender, Feminism

263 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2018

Reviews

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. less quotable than I had hoped, and it needed some minor style edits, but a) a compelling argument, b) methodologically fascinating (I would 100% assign this book even just as an example of the best kind of comparative literature). really enjoyable and — the amount of time it took me to finish it notwithstanding — an engaging read, almost even a page-turner.

[Tasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This an incredibly fascinating read that will have a lasting impact on my worldview and my journey to decolonial thought.
The only downfall of this was its accessibility, as this is a very heavy academic text and sometimes hard to get through. It took me a very long time to read - even though I have studied ancient history (etc) in university - as my head would start to hurt from reading. Zairong Xiang makes you work for this one. This is hardcore anti-brainrot material and valid in its complexity. However, I truly wish such an interesting and necessary discourse was more accessible to the broader public.
Essentially, this book is divided into 3 parts: It looks at the Enūma eliš epic from Mesopotamia, the concept of "creatio ex nihilo" from Christianity as well as multiple deities and the cosmo-philosophy from the Nahua. It discusses them from the point of view of decolonialism, queerness, intersexuality and more. It is deeply enriching and refreshing to dissect these ancient myths and concepts and beliefs from a non-white, non-heteronormative perspective and gave me much to think about how we see the world, how language and myths hold power and how the consequences of colonialism has always had its claws in the future.

[Á. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Presenta ideas muy interesantes sobre cómo el pensamiento eurocéntrico y cristiano imperante ha malinterpretado mitos de culturas tan distantes como la babilónica y la azteca. La tesis principal del ensayo es demostrar que dichas civilizaciones convivían con conceptos mucho más fluidos respecto a la sexualidad y la identidad, en especial en sus mitologías, y cómo se pervirtieron por encajarlos en el rígido binarismo occidental a base de perpetuarlos en el ámbito académico.

Es una tesis doctoral convertida en libro y se nota. Lleno de notas al pie, cada pocas páginas se descubre una referencia a un nuevo libro, estudio o incluso discurso que permite ampliar más información, pero el autor gusta de andarse por las ramas y explicar conceptos de forma retirada para introducir nuevos. Por ese motivo es posible que leas unas cuantas veces el Numa Eilish, o la traducción equivocada de los nombres de divinidades aztecas, un poco desesperante. Tiene sus momentos de revelación y descubrimiento (y menudos son), pero hay que buscarlos.

[Júlia {fitzloved era}]

Sense cap dubte m’ha paregut un treball de recerca fascinant, en el que destacaria el fet que explica l’autora amb el referent als pensaments o conceptes colonials que permeen en la nostra visió de les cultures en l’antiguitat. M’ha resultat molt interessant com a una base teórica a tenir en compte, siguent que fa poc he llegit alguns textos mitològics sumeris i assiris i hi ha algunes interpretacions de tall eurocéntric i adjacent al cristianisme.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una investigación decolonial y desde la teoría queer para acercarse a deidades de mesopotamia y Mesoamérica más próxima a la cosmovisión ancestral sobre los cuerpos, género, y divinidad. Expone elementos conceptuales y epistemológicos coloniales que aún permean nuestra relación con los otros y los hace “objeto” de ser investigado…
“Métodológicamente fascinante” dijo otra reseña.

[Jayme Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I wish sometimes Xiang would take their conclusions further, I found this super informative and was actually very helpful for my own paper I was working for my graduate degree.

[Izdihar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense, unique, subversive, fascinating. An academic text that still treats the reader to some excellent storytelling is a rare thing. Thank you!