Do you have a sci-fi book recommendation that can help a starseed remember more inclusive worlds?

Q: Greetings Elyrria! I was wondering if you have a good sci-fi book recommendation that is inclusive that will help a Starseed like me recall the magic of living past lives on planets that are evolved and loving to many genders and races. I have followed you for a few years and have loved seeing how much you love to read! For context, your website has been a safe space for me to explore my gender, sexuality, and whole self! I resonate with the criticisms you have of the divine masculine and feminine in closed spiritual spaces, and I want to remember some good times when my identity was more appreciated in other lifetimes. I too am in a city where the spiritual community is a little close-minded and going the old-fashioned route which is discouraging sometimes. They are not very friendly to trans women like me and I have been told that I have to be an AFAB person to really understand the divine feminine. I have read The Left Hand of Darkness, but am hoping for something written post-2010. Maybe something not too scary. :) Thank you.

A: I think this question is so fun haha. <3 Some people use descriptors such as divine masculine to stand in opposition to things like toxic masculinity. In such contexts, the term isn’t meant to communicate anything other than “healthy human”— certainly not gender roles. In each person’s case, I always give plenty of room to let someone explain why they use the terminology they do… Sometimes there really is no harm being done. (Not that anyone has to explain anything if they don’t want to. This is in reference to environments where we have these intentional discussions and provide definitions so we are all on the same page.) What one person means by “divine masculine” may be completely different from what another intends with the word choice. For my part, I address those labels because of (like you said) the issue in certain smaller, isolated areas where they are really just repackaged, harmful (evangelical-adjacent) gender roles. I speak mostly through the Sedona lens in this case. However, in bigger places like Oregon, where I have interacted with larger more progressive “fields”, not that many people are even using the terminology… Or when they do, it is just meant to mean “healthy” masculine or feminine, no matter how it expresses or who is using those words as identifiers. In those cases, I say rock on. =) When I spent time with a Portland group, I was in the most welcoming, inclusive, and permissive crowd of spiritualists I could have ever asked for! There is a lot of nuance to spiritual terminology we use, so I did my best to be targeted with my intention and to be clear about what I was addressing in blog posts relevant to this subject matter. The labels are not inherently bad, but they’re ambiguous and really distorted in certain spiritual areas, so I speak into the spaces that get a little warped while understanding that not everyone is going to weaponize the label(s). I don’t like the “divine masculine/feminine” descriptors personally, but others utilize them with completely different definitional underpinnings than the fundie groups, and that is 100% okay. =)

I am grateful that I have created a place where you feel loved and included because that is what I want to facilitate the most! I know it gets discouraging when we see old cycles being played out… Especially in places that originally started off being expansive. I think we all play out old things sometimes, but when it gains collective momentum it can be a little shocking. Honestly, sometimes it can be devastating and oppressive too. I think your identity is beautiful. Thank you for being here on planet earth with us and being your authentic self! That takes immense courage. Anyone can come to understand what “feminine” or “masculine” means for them, divine or not. Same for manhood, womanhood, nonbinary identities, trans identities, and so on. If the feminine is something you resonate with, then you can experience it just as powerfully as anyone else can. You define yourself and what “ the feminine” means for you. No one should be telling you otherwise. <3

You always have family here even if we are more spread out!! <3 My recommendation for you would be The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers! It is the first book of the Wayfarers series and was published in 2014. Sci-fi is my favorite umbrella genre, and while I would put this book into many categories, I would say it almost comes across as a “cozy” sci-fi, if there is such a thing. It is a slow burn, is very character driven, features the “found family” trope that I think you will enjoy a lot and is very inclusive! It does deal with heavy topics, but in a gentler way (in my opinion) than most other sub-genres of sci-fi would. Here is a Goodreads review mentioning some of the lovely things about the book if you want inspiration to help you get into it! As with most books, you can check the online trigger warnings to make sure it’s right for you. There are so many different genders, races, and important intersections that provide good representation in this adventure! I was a very happy nonbinary reader haha. It will give you all the feels. Fun fact: The author said in a bonus chat once that she actually came to Sedona during its making! I can’t help but think that our little vortex city gave this medicinal gem some extra juice. ;) For me, there is a lot of nostalgia in reading sci-fi in general, but this one really hit the spot. I hope you love it! <3