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TV: Supergirl to Get Trans Character

Supergirl

Supergirl is set to feature its first ever transgender character. The show attracted a host of LGBT fans in 2016 when Alex Danvers – played by Chyler Leigh – came out as a lesbian, with fans praising it as one of the best coming out stories in years.  Fans have also been keen to ship Supergirl’s human persona Kara Danvers with Lena Luthor, in a prospective couple known as SuperCorp. And it seems that the CW series will be expanding its horizons in Season 4, which is due to start later this year, likely in October. A casting call … Read more

TV: The Sense8 Series Finale Trailer is Here!

Sense8 Trailer

The Wachowskis’ sci-fi Netflix thriller series Sense8, which drew plaudits and admirers for its diverse line-up of characters that featured multiple LGBTQ roles, had a near-death experience not unlike those its protagonists often faced when the streaming media provider announced its abrupt cancellation in early June of this year after just two seasons. The show’s passionate fan base responded with an ultimately effective outcry on social media, seeking explanations for the cancellation and urging a change of heart given the scarcity of diverse representation in the genre of the sort that earned Sense8 the 2016 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding … Read more

FOR WRITERS AND READERS: National Idahobit Day

IDAHOBIT

FOR WRITERS & READERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer J. Scott Coatsworth: Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia. So I thought I’d ask authors and readers what you would like to see more of – the positive side rather than the negative one. Please note whether you are discussing gay, bi, intersex or trans/gender fluid/endby characters and stories, and what you wanna see – the kinds of characters or plots etc that are lacking. Join the chat Graphic borrowed from IDAHOBIT Australia

ANNOUNCEMENT: Justice Calling, by Lyra Alice Schneider

Justice Calling

Lyra Alice Schneider has a new trans sci fi book out: A western/sci-fi genre hybrid featuring a transgender protagonist. Penny Lux, currently experiencing a forced de-transition due to the failure of an irreplaceable piece of technology, seeks assistance in stopping a plot that could lead to disaster for her entire planet. First, from the woman she used to love, who caused her transition tech to fail; second, from the religious order she’s spent most of her life hating. Only with the cooperation of both can Penny hope to save her world. Get it on Amazon Excerpt So I found myself … Read more

VIDEO GAMES: Pink White or Blue Focuses on Gender Identity and Dysphoria

Pink White or Blue

Pink White or Blue is a new video game by Esmada Interactive that follows a young person as they navigate the world unsure of where they belong. In the narrative story, which features some elements of horror, you play a transgender person trying to cope with a binary world. The Game ‘You start Pink White or Blue as a feminine character in a beautiful country ranch, picking flowers and spending time with the horses that roam there. It’s an idyllic life, full of beauty and happiness, but you find pages of a comic book that tell a story of someone … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Song of the Faerie Prince, by Tay LaRoi

The Song of the Faerie Prince

QSFer Tay LaRoi has a new bi/pan fantasy book out: Sixteen-year-old Gia Johnson is comfortable in the background, but when dark magic looms over her town, her beautiful voice will put her in a spotlight she never imagined: the Seelie Court. To get out alive and save her childhood friend, she’ll have to trust Oliver O’Brian, a trans classmate and a Prince of Faerie, especially when an ancient evil rears its ugly head from the depths of Lake Michigan. All the while, Gia finds herself drawn to Oliver, but what does that mean if she’s always liked girls? NineStar Press … Read more

FOR WRITERS: Writing A Different Gender

Gender

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Tracy Timmons-Gray: What are your recommendations on how to write a character whose sexual or gender identity is different from your own? For instance, there’s isn’t one kind of asexual or gender queer person; authentic representation is often very nuanced. What things do you recommend to try to capture those nuances when writing a character? What do you try to avoid? Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: A Scientific Basis for Gender Identity

crystal ball

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer J. Scott Coatsworth: Our news article today: https://pixabay.com/en/dna-biology-medicine-gene-163466/ Suggests that scientists may have found a group of genes responsible for gender identity. Whether or not it’s true, it brought to mind a question. How would this change things for transgender, enby and gender fluid folks in society? Pull out your crystal balls and forecast the ramifications in society, good and bad. Join the chat

Scientists Discover Genes That Could Be Responsible For Gender Identity

DNA - Pixabay

Scientists believe they have identified genetic variants that may play a role in gender identity, giving backing to gender dysphoria having a physical basis. This is the first time a panel of genes, including DNA, involved in the development of nerve cells and the manufacture of sex hormones, that could help explain why someone might experience their gender as different from what they were assigned at birth has been discovered, The Times reports. “It lends legitimacy, if that needs to be added, that transgender is not a choice but a way of being,” said geneticist Ricki Lewis. “I think people … Read more