Maya Maize God

Like other early Mesoamerican cultures, harvest was an important aspect of Mayan life and religion. Their staple crop of maize was personified as a deity. Different groups within Mayan culture viewed the gender of the Maize god differently (some male, some female) while others still saw its gender existing outside of typical western ideas of the gender binary. Like maize, which has both male and female reproductive parts, the Mayan Maize God has feminine and masculine aspects, embodying a "third" gender. The kidnapping of this god and their effect on the harvest are important aspects of the myth.

The kidnapping of the Maize God myth.

In the last five years, there has been a resurgence of mythology and folktales, often told from new or different perspectives. This has allowed underrepresented voices to recapture stories that have often overlooked minority perspectives. This creates an opportunity to lean into the queer themes in certain myths (Achilles/Patroclus, Ganymede, etc) and highlight queer representation within the publishing market.

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