#neith

The goddess Neith, depicted within the Tomb of Nefertari New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II, c. 1279-1213 B.C. Tomb of Nefertari (QV66), Valley of the Queens, West Thebes.

Neith was an early Ancient Egyptian deity. She is thought to be the first and foremost creator, having created the cosmos and all that it includes, as well as governing it's function. To the Egyptians, Neith was the goddess of the cosmos, fate, wisdom, water, rivers, mothers, childbirth, hunting, weaving, and war.

Neith was the tutelary deity of Sais, and her worship was concentrated in the western Nile Delta in Lower Egypt. It is documented that worship of Neith can be seen taking placed as early as the First Dynasty. Neith was also one of three tutelary deities of Esna, a city in the south.

10 more pages from The Tall Poppy: Gods of Egypt.

As Pride Month arrives, many modern pagans and Kemetics find themselves asking: What place does queerness have among the Netjeru?

The answer is more nuanced than a simple modern label. Ancient Egypt did not categorize sexuality and gender in the same ways we do today. Yet when we look at the myths, symbols, and nature of the gods themselves, we find a divine world that is often fluid, transformative, and resistant to rigid boundaries.

The gods of Kemet regularly transcend the limits that humans experience.

Aset becomes a bird and a woman. Ra becomes Khepri, Ra, and Atum in a single day. Djehuty is both moon and wisdom, both divine speech and divine record. The Netjeru shift forms, merge identities, and embody multiple truths simultaneously.

The divine is not limited by a single shape.

One of the oldest goddesses of Egypt, Neith was described as a creator who existed before the world itself. In some traditions she is said to have brought forth creation without a partner.

She is warrior and mother, creator and protector. Neith reminds us that divine power does not always fit neatly into expected roles.

The story of Aset is one of persistence, magic, and transformation. Through knowledge and determination she changes fate itself.

For many queer practitioners, Aset represents the sacred ability to become fully oneself despite obstacles. Her myths celebrate self-determination, resilience, and the power to reshape one’s destiny.

The moon is never static.

Khonsu appears as child, youth, traveler, healer, and protector. Each month he changes form before our eyes while remaining entirely himself.

For many modern devotees, Khonsu’s cycle can be a reminder that change is not the opposite of authenticity. Growth is part of being alive.

Perhaps the most important Kemetic concept for Pride Month is not a particular deity but Ma’at itself.

Ma’at is truth, balance, rightness, and the proper order of the world.

Living according to Ma’at means living truthfully. It means rejecting falsehood and honoring what is real.

For many queer Kemetics, embracing one’s authentic identity can be understood as an act of Ma’at: choosing truth over concealment.

The ancient Egyptians left us no single doctrine about modern LGBTQ+ identities. What they left instead is a rich spiritual tradition filled with transformation, multiplicity, creativity, and divine complexity.

The Netjeru appear as animals and humans. They are one and many. They change forms. They merge. They reveal hidden names and hidden truths.

The gods themselves remind us that the sacred is often larger than the categories we try to place around it.

This Pride Month, may the Netjeru bless all who seek to live in truth.

May Aset grant courage.

May Djehuty grant wisdom.

May Khonsu light the road ahead.

And may Ma’at guide us toward a world where every soul can stand openly in its truth.

“I'm like, you're so chill. Damn, you're kind of chill. Why are you so chill? You're kind of chill.”

The dynamics at play here. The slow horror that Nick tries to mask when he realizes that Keith doesn’t understand him. The barely concealed frustration. Keith’s obliviousness.