Pride Tarot, 78-Card LGBTQ+ Tarot Deck & Guidebook

Forty-five artists, one structure. The cards come from 45 different artists, yet the deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith pattern, so you can read it with any tarot book while the imagery keeps surprising you.

A 192-page illustrated guidebook. Card meanings, artist bios, and instructions for the Parade Card Spread turn the deck into both a reading tool and a small gallery of LGBTQ+ art.

An extra Pride Flag card. The bonus card expands the deck for six-card readings and works as a significator when you want the whole community present in a spread.

• Cards: 78-card tarot deck plus one extra Pride Flag Rainbow card
• Guidebook: 192 pages, illustrated, with card descriptions, artist bios and the Parade Card Spread
• Artists: 45 contributors from around the world
• Structure: Rider-Waite-Smith
• Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
• ISBN: 9781646710034
• Box: about 4.75 x 2.75 inches
• Weight: about 12.8 oz

Pride Tarot is used for divination and for affirming readings in modern eclectic and queer witchcraft, where tarot has long been a tool for seeing yourself clearly and choosing your own path. U.S. Games Systems created the deck as a collaborative project inspired by Pridefest and the milestones of the LGBTQ+ movement, inviting 45 artists to interpret the cards; it keeps the Rider-Waite-Smith structure that Pamela Colman Smith drew in 1909 so that a century of tarot knowledge still applies.

You can use it exactly as you would any tarot, and that is the point. The archetypes have not changed; the faces have. A queer reader pulling the Lovers or the Empress and seeing their own life reflected is doing the oldest work tarot does, which is recognition. The Parade Card Spread in the guidebook was written for the deck and reads like a celebration. Bring the deck to Pride, to a circle of friends, or to your own quiet morning table.

1. Flip through all 78 cards and the artist bios first. Knowing who painted the Star changes how the Star reads.
2. Cleanse the deck with incense smoke, a night beside selenite, or a slow shuffle with your intention spoken aloud.
3. Pull one card each morning and read it with the guidebook, then with your own eye. Both readings count.
4. Try the Parade Card Spread from the guidebook when you want a fuller reading; it was written for this deck.
5. Use the Pride Flag card as a significator, or add it for the six-card readings the guidebook describes.

The artists gave the cards their faces. You give them their meaning.

• Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft from the Margins by Cassandra Snow, Mat Auryn: Cassandra Snow's Queering Your Craft, the book on witchcraft from the margins that this deck belongs beside.
• Gay Tarot by Lee Bursten, Antonella Platano: Lee Bursten's Gay Tarot, an earlier deck that reimagined the Rider-Waite cast; the two read well side by side.
• Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness (A New Edition of the Tarot Classic) by Rachel Pollack: Rachel Pollack's classic on the Rider-Waite structure, by one of tarot's great trans voices.
• Sun and Moon Tarot Box, 3 3/4" x 5 1/2": a wooden box sized for a standard deck, to keep the 79 cards and guidebook together.
• Purple Velveteen Bag, 5 x 7 Inches: a 5 by 7 inch velvet pouch for carrying the deck to a reading or a parade.

Is the Pride Tarot based on the Rider-Waite?

Yes, the Pride Tarot follows the Rider-Waite-Smith structure: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana in four suits, in the same order and with the same core meanings. That means any tarot book written for the Rider-Waite applies, and readers who know that deck will feel at home immediately.

How many cards are in the Pride Tarot?

There are 78 cards in the Pride Tarot, plus one extra Pride Flag card, for 79 in the box. The extra card can serve as a significator or expand the deck for the six-card readings described in the guidebook. Set it aside if you prefer a standard 78-card reading.

Is the Pride Tarot good for beginners?

Yes, the Pride Tarot is good for beginners. It keeps the Rider-Waite-Smith structure, comes with a 192-page guidebook that explains every card, and includes the Parade Card Spread for a first full reading. The variety of artists means each card is memorable, which helps the meanings stick.

How do I cleanse a tarot deck?

Cleanse a tarot deck by passing it through incense smoke, resting it overnight beside selenite, or shuffling slowly while speaking your intention aloud. Do it when the deck is new, after reading for someone else, and whenever it feels heavy in your hands. Any of these methods works for the Pride Tarot.

Who made the Pride Tarot?

The Pride Tarot was created by U.S. Games Systems as a collaborative deck, with 45 artists from around the world contributing the cards. The 192-page guidebook includes a bio of every artist, so you can find the creator of each card you love and look up more of their work.

What is the Parade Card Spread?

The Parade Card Spread is a reading layout written specifically for the Pride Tarot and included in its guidebook. It is designed to celebrate community and personal milestones, and the extra Pride Flag card can be added to it. The guidebook walks you through each position step by step.