Queer Sexuality- Myths Busted 10

(This post is a part of the series Queer Sexuality-Myths Busted. A small, not all inclusive research project i did in college. I am hereby presenting a few portions of that research work so that more and more people become aware of Queer Sexuality and start seeing it in positive light.)

Homosexual or bisexual activity also occurs between gods, although such interactions are most usually considered purely ritualistic, or have purposes other than sexual pleasure. Agni, the god of fire, wealth and creative energy, has same-sex sexual encounters that involve accepting semen from other gods. Although married to the goddess Svaha, Agni is also shown as being part of a same sex couple with Soma, the god of the moon. Agni takes a receptive role in this relationship, accepting semen from Soma with his mouth, paralleling Agni's role in accepting sacrifices from Earth to Heaven. Orthodox Hinduism emphasises that these are "mithuna", ritual sexual encounters, and Agni and his mouth represent the feminine role.

In the Shiva Purana and the Ramayana, the gods fear the outcome of Shiva and Parvati's "unending embrace," and interrupt their coitus. Shiva then appears before the gods and declares "now let him step forward who will accept the semen I discharge". At the prompting of the gods, Agni captures Shiva's semen in his hands and swallows it. In these stories, Parvati and Shiva condemn Agni's actions, calling them "wicked" or "improper." In the eleventh century text Kathasaritsagara, however, Shiva forces the reluctant Agni to receive his semen.The semen causes a burning sensation in those that ingest it, prompting Agni to divest it into wives of a group of sages, under Shiva's advice.

This is just the indian mythology. The Greeco-Roman mythology is full of such instances of queer relationships between gods and heroes. They not only neter a sexual but also an amorous romantic love. Moreover they have also been assigned with patron gods. For example, Dionysus is the patron god of transvestites, while Aphrodite along with the Erotes: Eros, Himeros and Pothos form the trinity of homoerotic love.