Ruth and naomi gay

The premise for this series is that, rather than gay identities truly organism a ‘missing myth’ in the mind world of the Abrahamic faiths, homosexual and lesbian and other queer people do in truth see our experiences reflected in places within the Scriptures. Today I’d fond to look at what is undoubtedly the most usual example of this: in relationships that are ‘queer coded’ in some way: specifically the friendship between David and Jonathan and the woman-centric familial bond between Ruth and Naomi. First I’ll start by talking a bit about a what ‘queer coding’ is and reflect a bit on how we might talk about it responsibly in terms of the Scriptures. Then I’ll look at the reasons why gays and lesbians contain read the two relationships in ask as queer coded.

Queer coding is when the subtext of a character or dynamic between characters reads as lgbtq+, even if the text itself does not overtly articulate it as such. A great example that has recently been in the media is the character of Velma in the Scooby-Doo franchise. A recent adaptation showing her attracted to Daphne drew fire for

The story of Ruth and Naomi is widely quoted by queer writers as an example from Scripture of possible lesbian love: but how relevant is it? Superficially at least, it is just a simple story of exceptionally strong family affection and loyalty, between mother- and daughter- in-law. Whether in any way “lesbian” or not, the story is relevant, but not perhaps in the way usually told. To unravel the lessons it may carry for us, let’s kickoff with the simple story.

Naomi was an Israelite widow, living for a while (on account of famine) in Moab, where she married her two sons to Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. The sons later died, leaving Naomi “all alone, without husband or sons” ,

She did have two daughters-in-law, and when she heard that conditions back in Israel had improved, she returned, initially taking her two daughters-in-law with her. She then had a modify of heart, and encourages the two women to return to their control home in Moab. After some persuasion, Orpah did so, but Ruth refused.

Do not press me to leave you
Or twist back from following you!
Where you go I will g

Note: I recently co-lead a workshop on exploring myth in words and visual art at the Art Room in Philadelphia where I read the accompanying excerpt of my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders. The YouTube video is below and under that the text of my reading &#; which features the biblical version of Ruth and Naomi. There is a lesbian tradition of linking Ruth and Naomi together as lovers. (Ruth and Naomi are frequently pictured embracing.) And the writer and Biblical historian Gore Vidal agreed that it looked to him like Ruth and Naomi were lovers. I understand it certainly informed my vision of traditional religion &#; and I&#;m honored to pass this tradition along.

Tamar looked down on herself. Her body lay on her bed.
Tabitha was at Tamar&#;s side. Her eyes were soggy. Tamar knew why her sister was crying. They were almost the equal person, from the similar womb, from the alike egg split into two. They were identical in looks, if not in spirit. They shared the same secret &#; that of tricking Judah. Zerah and Pharez were still living in Egypt with Judah.

Woman-centric Bible stories are hard to come by, let alone feminist or queer ones. The Novel of Ruth, which we study every Shavuot, stands as a clear exception to the patriarchal rule. The story begins with Naomi, a Jewish woman married to Elimelech from Bethlehem. They have two sons who partner non-Jewish, Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. When Elimelech and his two sons die, Naomi commands widowed Orpah and Ruth to return to Moab for a fresh start. Orpah obeys, but Ruth refuses: “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
These are the story’s most famous words and act as the entrypoint for interpreting the biblical tale through a gender non-conforming lens. Dr. Ruth Preser, a feminist activist and lecturer at Tel-Hai College and University of Haifa, writes in her essay “Things I Learned from the Book of Ruth: Diasporic Readings of Queer Conversations” that “the organizers of the Third Womxn loving womxn Conference held in Natanya, Israel in chose the opening of Ruth’s