Queer Mythology Is Here

Queer Mythology is here!

I haven’t had time to write about anything else this week, so instead I am taking a moment to celebrate this project being out in the world by sharing some reviews, photos, images, and my introduction to the book.

If you pre-ordered it, it may even be in your hands early, or will arrive this week. If you have not, please do, and please ask your local bookshops and libraries to stock it.

Reviews:

“Sanchez’s [Queer Mythology] brings to light a never-ending human connection across cultures of the world.”―Booklist

“Fascinating and validating, these mythological heroes are highlighted with great care and exquisite art.” ―Sara Farizan, award-winning author of If You Could Be Mine and Dead Flip

“Guido A. Sanchez has created a lovely collection of inclusive and affirming myths from around the world that show that queer folks have always been here, and we have always been heroes.” ―Carrie Harris, author of Xavier's Institute: Liberty & Justice for All

“Dive into the rich tapestry of mythology through a queer lens with Guido A. Sanchez, as he unveils hidden stories, celebrates overlooked characters, and redefines the boundaries of traditional narratives in his groundbreaking book, Queer Mythology. Drawing upon a deep well of cultural and historical knowledge, Sanchez skillfully weaves together a collection of myths and legends from around the world, shedding light on the often-neglected tales with truth and the underlining message we queer folx need to hear: We’ve always existed.” ―Damien Alan Lopez, award-winning author of I Am a Prince

“I went through such a range of emotions reading these beautiful stories. While I thoroughly enjoyed each one, I couldn't help but wonder how many more stories about our LGBTQIA+ community have been lost, either intentionally or not, and that made me a little sad and angry. But the emotion I settled on was gratitude. I'm grateful that so many of these tales have been found and retold so they can be shared once more, letting the world know not only that we're still here, but that we always have been.” ―Jaye McBride, writer and comedian

“Queer Mythology retells timeless fables from around the world to reveal their queer truth. Pitched just right for middle-grade readers, these epic tales are perfectly complemented by the gorgeous illustrations. I was reminded of all of our queer ancestors, both real and imaginary, and how much they want all young LGBTQIA+ people to find joy. The legends in Queer Mythology are truly compelling.” ―Nora Olsen, author of Swans & Klons

“With each story in Queer Mythology, Guido A. Sanchez gives each reader a chance to see themselves reflected, proving that queer stories and people have always existed and have always been part of the narrative. An important, fun, and relatable book of tales that should be part of every kid's introduction into mythology.” ―Nicole Melleby, award-winning author of Hurricane Season

“Positive and upbeat, much needed and highly readable, Queer Mythology is an invitation for readers young and old to consider our world through a more inclusive lens. Read it, share it, and enjoy!” ―Thomas Rinaldi, design historian & author of New York Neon and Patented

“You may think you know what the tracks on this album are going to be, but Guido A. Sanchez surprises, not only with some deep cuts drawn from a wide array of world mythologies, but also with some golden oldies, now with all their original queerness intact. A great addition to the collections of mythology-lovers everywhere and an important reminder that LGBTQIA+ heroes have been with us all along—we just didn't always get to hear their stories fully told. Until now.” ―Marsheila Rockwell, award-winning poet and author of the Dungeons & Dragons: The Shard Axe series

“Queer Mythology is a definitive tome, as each page is brimming of wonder and inspiration. It's a testament to the power of storytelling, and what it can mean to us as queer people.”―Josh Trujillo, author of Washington's Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben

And now “We Have Always Existed: An Introduction” from the book Queer Mythology: Epic Legends From Around the World by Guido A. Sanchez.

This book is about you. Stories are a part of who we are. As humans, we love creating and listening to stories. This love is part of us and always has been. And stories are incredibly powerful. They also help us to make meaning from and understand the things that we feel and experience. Stories are a part of our identities, and we are also a part of stories.

Some of our biggest and oldest stories are myths. Myths may try to explain things that seem like they cannot be explained, but there is more to myths. There is something that connects us to these stories underneath the tales of why and how: the feelings they express.

Mythological stories have been around for thousands of years because we relate to them and feel something when we read them. We relate to the characters and the trouble they get into. We might find that the imperfect god in the story is trying to make sense of a hard time, just like we are. Or we may see the mortals in these stories who are struggling to fit into the world, and that makes us feel seen. These stories show us something about who we are and who we want to be.

And in all these myths, there is—and has always been—queerness. None of the stories retold here have been significantly changed. They are being told now, in this moment, through my voice. But every single myth included in this book—plus many others, enough for whole other volumes—has a queer identity in it. Characters in countless myths are gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, transgender, intersex, gender nonconforming, two-spirit, non-binary, and other LGBTQIA+ identities.

These identities reflect us, and they also reflect the people during the time the stories were first told. Queer people were part of every community. Some of the older myths are more than five thousand years old, and queer people are a part of them, even if labels, language, or definitions may have changed over time. What has always been true and is proven true again by these stories: we have always existed.

In these twenty stories, I have kept the central parts of the myths—the “facts” about the fictional tales, if you will—true to the originals. Each myth has had many retellings over time. Sometimes each retelling adds or changes pieces, so I combined those with as many of the original parts as are known.

Sometimes when classic myths and stories are retold, identities are erased. For many myths, when some culture or group of people got a hold of the story, they began to remove aspects or reshape elements, or they tried to erase the story entirely. Even in modern myths and stories, there are people who are rendered invisible. But just as queer people have survived throughout time, these stories have persisted. Some of these myths have not been widely known for thousands of years. Others are myths that you may think you know but have more to learn about, particularly in the way queerness is a part of the story.

I have many hopes for you, readers. I hope that no matter who you are, you can relate to each story in some way. And I hope that you are inspired to go out and learn more about each of these myths, or the countless others there are. (Be careful, though; mythology has a lot of trauma and violence embedded in it!)

Most importantly, I hope that everyone goes out and shares the myths that matter to them—that reveal something about who they are. Perhaps these are stories that you create, or perhaps you find other ancient stories to cherish. Perhaps you like true tales of history and seek out ways people with less visible identities start to show up in the stories we thought we knew. Or maybe you just keep returning to these stories here, sharing them far and wide, out loud (like the oral traditions of yore) or in print with the book you have in your hand now.