Nonbinary and genderfluid identities, which exist outside the binary understanding of gender, align deeply with many philosophical and spiritual teachings found in Tantric traditions.  Tantra emphasizes the transcendence of dualities, the integration of opposites, and the fluidity of reality. These principles resonate with the experience of nonbinary and genderfluid people, who reject rigid gender norms.

Readings of Tantric scriptures such as the Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, Spanda Karikas, Kularnava Tantra, and Hevajra Tantra indicates support for a nonbinary understanding of gender. Furthermore, considering Judith Butler’s theories on gender performativity, subversion of normative gender roles, and the socially constructed nature of gender, demonstrate how Tantra not only provides spiritual validation for nonbinary identities but also serve as a form of resistance against gender essentialism.

A core tenet of Tantra is the rejection of strict binaries, including the male-female gender binary. Tantric philosophy views all dualities—such as good and evil, body and spirit, and masculine and feminine—as illusions (maya) that obscure the true, nondual nature of reality. Enlightenment, according to Tantric teachings, comes from transcending these opposites and recognizing the underlying unity in all things (Advaya or nonduality).  This perspective aligns well with Judith Butler’s theory of gender.

This idea of performativity, argues that gender is not an inherent or biological trait but a repeated performance of socially constructed norms (Gender Trouble, 1990). Just as Tantra teaches that gender distinctions are fluid constructs, Butler contends that gender is an iterative practice rather than an innate reality.

One of the clearest manifestations of gender transcendence in Tantric philosophy is Ardhanarishvara, a deity who is half Shiva (male) and half Parvati (female). The Shiva Purana and Skanda Purana describe Ardhanarishvara as a perfect fusion of masculine and feminine energies, symbolizing the ultimate nonbinary state of existence.

In her book “The Lord Who Is Half Woman: Ardhanarisvara in Indian and Feminist Perspective,” Ellen Goldberg describes this transcendence;

“The image of Ardhanarishwvara does not merely present a synthesis of masculine and feminine gender traits, but rather attempts to portray a fundamental belief in the possibility of personal transcendence, usually understood as the attainment of non-dual consciousness. …However, it can only capture this ideal if and when the ego of gender —which at times distorts and privileges the male half of the image — has been recognized and [overcome].”

By framing gender as a mutable and integrated state, Ardhanarishvara mirrors Butler’s notion that gender identities can be fluid, hybrid, and destabilizing to hegemonic structures. The very existence of a nonbinary divine form within Tantra challenges the essentialist assumption that gender is fixed.

Divine Androgyny and the Subversion of Gender Norms. Beyond Ardhanarishvara, many Tantric texts depict the fusion of masculine and feminine energies as a spiritual ideal.  Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is a lesser-known androgynous deity combining the god Vishnu and the goddess Lakshmi. Similar to Ardhanarishvara, this form is depicted with one half as male (Vishnu) and the other as female (Lakshmi), symbolizing the integration of male and female principles. This iconography also underscores the non-dual nature of the divine, a theme prevalent in Tantric traditions. ​

The Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, a key text of Kashmiri Shaivism, one of the most refined and philosophical expressions of Tantric thought, presents 112 meditation techniques designed to transcend dualistic thinking, including gender distinctions. It asserts that all opposites, including male and female, dissolve upon reaching higher consciousness.

Tantra generally aims to transcend binary thinking, including male/female, good/evil, and self/divine, which is reflected in Kashmir Shaivism’s emphasis on spontaneous realization (pratyabhijña).

This concept aligns with Butler’s theory that gender nonconformity disrupts the assumption that binary categories are natural or necessary. Just as nonbinary and genderfluid people reject the rigidity of gender norms, Tantra’s emphasis on the illusory nature of gender distinctions subverts traditional gender categories.

Furthermore, the Kularnava Tantra explicitly challenges societal gender norms by encouraging practitioners to break free from conventional understandings of identity, including those related to gender roles.

Here, Tantra’s insistence on the dissolution of gender roles for spiritual transcendence aligns with Butler’s argument in Undoing Gender (2004) that nonbinary identities disrupt hegemonic norms of gender intelligibility. Butler proposes that the enforcement of binary gender roles is a form of social control, and subverting these societal norms is an act of resistance.

In this sense, Tantra’s integration of androgyny and gender fluidity does not merely offer spiritual affirmation for nonbinary identities but actively resists the imposition of restrictive gender norms, much like Butler’s critique of gendered power structures.

Tantra’s representation of gender fluidity is not only spiritual but also political, challenging the hierarchies and hegemonic gender ideologies that enforce binaries. This is particularly evident in the Spanda Karikas, which describe reality as an ongoing pulsation (Spanda) that continually shifts beyond fixed forms.

This idea reinforces Butler’s argument that gender is fluid and contingent rather than biologically determined. Just as Tantra understands identity as a mutable vibration, Butler argues that gender is an unstable performance that can be disrupted and redefined.

Similarly, Buddhist Tantra, particularly the Hevajra Tantra, presents the union of prajna (wisdom, often considered feminine) and upaya (compassion, often considered masculine) as the path to enlightenment. This teaching suggests that the highest spiritual realization comes from transcending gender distinctions, reinforcing the nonbinary perspective.

By integrating these perspectives, Tantra positions nonbinary identities as pathways to liberation, rather than deviations from normative structures. Butler’s theory strengthens this argument by showing that gender fluidity is not merely a personal experience but a radical challenge to oppressive gender norms.

While Tantra affirms gender fluidity, it is important to critically examine whether Tantric philosophy completely escapes gender essentialism. Some Tantric traditions, despite their focus on integrating masculine and feminine energies, still frame gender in terms of binary principles, such as Shiva representing consciousness and Shakti representing energy. Butler’s critique of essentialist gender models can be applied to challenge whether Tantra fully deconstructs gender or subtly reinforces a harmonized binary.

In Gender Trouble, Butler critiques essentialist feminist theories that rely on a stable category of “woman”, arguing instead that gender should be understood as a multiplicity of performances rather than an essence. Applying this to Tantra, one could ask whether the Shiva-Shakti duality truly transcends gender or simply reinterprets it within a new framework.

By incorporating Butler’s insights, we can expand the discussion on nonbinary identities within Tantra beyond spiritual philosophy to a socio-political critique, acknowledging both its liberatory potential and its possible limitations.

Tantra’s emphasis on transcending dualities, embracing divine androgyny, and rejecting rigid gender roles provides a powerful spiritual validation for nonbinary and genderfluid identities. Drawing from the Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, Spanda Karikas, Kularnava Tantra, and Hevajra Tantra, we can see that Tantric traditions celebrate nonbinary identities and gender fluidity as a path to enlightenment.

By incorporating Judith Butler’s theories on gender performativity, subversion, and resistance to hegemonic structures, we can further contextualize Tantra’s gender philosophy within a broader post-structuralist critique of gender essentialism. This integration allows for a more nuanced understanding of how Tantra not only supports but also challenges dominant gender frameworks, offering a transcendent and transformative vision of gender identity and human salvation.

In the end its also important to remember that the soul has no gender.  To paraphrase RuPaul, the soul has no gender and the rest is drag.

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