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Queering Genesis 1-3

  • Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
  • Abbr : KJOTS
  • 2020, 26(4), pp.188~218
  • DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2020.26.4.188
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
  • Received : October 13, 2020
  • Accepted : October 30, 2020
  • Published : December 31, 2020

Yani Yoo 1

1감리교신학대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This essay reads Genesis 1-3 with a symbolic word, ‘trans’ and queer criticism. The goal is to demonstrate that since the texts contain ambiguity, inconsistence, disharmony, they do not have a stable, fixed view about sexuality, marriage, reproduction, and relationship unlike traditional heterosexist interpretations. The author of the essay sees two creations of humans in Genesis 1:27bc, “In the image of God he created him male and female he created them.” It can be said that one human being is first made because the last word, ‘him(אֹת֑וֹ)’ in “He-created him” has atnaḥ, a disjunctive accent separating the logic. Then, male and female are created. Although this interpretation might sound strange, the ambiguous text does not exclude the possibility. The Bible is open to many interpretations because of its inherent ambiguity, resilience, polyphony, and opacity. There are many transformations in Genesis 2. The dust is transformed to earth creature(adam), the first human being sexually undifferentiated. Then the ‘side’ of adam is transformed to woman and the earth creature is transformed to man. Now the two become one (2:24). God desires to find ezer knegdo, a saving partner for the earth creature. Ezer is masculine in grammar and so the reader imagines a male partner. But it turns out to be a woman, offering a transgender case in the reader’s mind. Genesis 3 is also a story of transformation: From the ‘abundant’ Eden to the real life full of challenges, from utopia to dystopia. In Genesis 3 the celebration of sexuality and companionship of Genesis 2 are parodied and the roles of the woman and the man are reversed in contemplation and humor. Genesis 3:16 can be most hilarious because the woman’s punishment is to desire the man sexually as to she is willing to endure the pain of pregnancy and childbirth. And the desire is greater than the desire not to be ruled by the man! The reader notices a moment of crossdressing in the text. When both the two people and God make clothes they use the same material and design for both the woman and the man. Our reading of Genesis 1-3 from ‘trans’ and queer perspectives affirms complicate and varigated creation phenomena, challenges the reader’s fixed idea, and offers the reader broad viewpoints.

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This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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