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Transgender

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Lost Boy, Found Boy, by Jenn Polish

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Lost Boy, Found Boy

QSFer Jenn Polish has a new enby sci fi young adult book out: In a futuristic world, Neverland is a holomatrix, Hook is a cyborg, and Tinker Bell is an automated computer interface. Peter is desperate to save his lover from a military draft that, unbeknownst to him, Mir volunteered for because they are desperate to be able to fly. So, naturally, Peter programs an entire island—Neverland—as a refuge where Mir can fly without having to fight in a war. But he doesn’t locate Mir right away; instead, he fights for control of the island with automated interface Tinker Bell, … Read more

Out of the Past: LGBTQ Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror 2010 – present

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     As part of my ongoing history of LGBTQ+ speculative fiction, I’m in the process of doing interviews with authors, editors and reviewers who are working in different areas of the genre that I’m not as familiar with. I’m hoping to boost the signal on some of their projects, too so please check out their writings and other projects. There’ll be interviews with various folks on trans and nonbinary spec fic, indie queer romance, new trends and recommendations for short fiction and other fun things coming up as well as my essays on different aspects of the field. I hope … Read more

FOR WRITERS: Alternate Genders

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stock photo sites - pixabay

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer John Allenson: Have we ever discussed writting gender past male/female binaries? The Andorians in Star Trek have four genders. Alien Nation had three. The Left Hand of Darkness has androgens. How would we write alternate genders? This is a legacy chat. Join the chat Image by chonastock

ANNOUNCEMENT: Once Upon a Rainbow Anthology Volume 2

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Once Upon a Rainbow, Volume Two

QSFer K.S. Trenten has a story in a new queer anthology: Your favorite stories from childhood have a new twist. Eight fairy tales of old with characters across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Coming Home by Jennifer Cosgrove – No one ever expects to be Prince Charming. Snow Fox by Sara Codair – Jealous Queen E’s attempts on Snow Fox’s life are trending. Deathless by Emmalynn Spark – Love means finding new ways. At Her Service by K.S. Trenten – Dancing to her true desire. Shattered Glass by Lina Langley – The resistance was never ready for this. Finding Aurora by Rebecca … Read more

Out of the Past: LGBTQ Science Fiction and Fantasy 2000-2010

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2000-2010

The dawn of the 21st century brought massive changes to the publishing industry, fueled in part by a surge in epublishing. More efficient and portable e-readers enabled readers to access an increasing number of ebook publications, fueling ebook sales. Larger print publishers, many of which were unprepared for the shift, responded by consolidating or closing their doors. There were additional impacts to brick-and-mortar stores as well as to print distribution of books and magazines. Many authors responded to these changes by releasing their own books in a variety of formats, sometimes by starting their own small and medium-sized presses. Alongside … Read more

VIDEO GAMES: Will “Catherine: Full Body” Be Transphobic?

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Catherine: Full Body

Japanese game developer Atlus recently released the trailer for the upcoming game, Catherine: Full Body. The game, a remake of the adventure puzzle-platformer Catherine, introduces a new character who many fans are claiming is transphobic. The original game, according to The Daily Dot, ‘deals with Vincent Brooks, a 32-year-old bachelor who keeps pushing off marriage with his long-time girlfriend, Katherine McBride.’ ‘After Vincent cheats on Katherine with a mysterious woman called Catherine, he begins having nightmares where he must climb enormous towers while being chased by monsters. The game does this by blending narrative-driven gameplay with puzzle-platforming levels, allowing for … Read more

POV: Why Aren’t Queer Characters Simply Allowed to Be Queer?

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When Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling revealed Albus Dumbledore was gay after the publication of Deathly Hallows, there was an uproar. She broke the cardinal rule — often attributed to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov — show, don’t tell. The theory is simple. In storytelling, don’t tell the audience what a character is like, or how a setting feels, show them through senses, actions, and feelings. By telling fans Dumbledore was gay, rather than showing us (even implications of his relationship with Grindelwald in the seventh book are a stretch at best), there’s a robbery of representation. What good does it do queer … Read more

LGBTQ Science Fiction and Fantasy in the 1990s

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The 1990s saw a huge increase in the positive portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ) characters in all parts of the genre: literature, anime, manga, comics, even some television and movie characters. Character-driven fantasy and science fiction became more popular, as did game-driven fiction and fandom. Different kinds of science fiction, fantasy and horror became a global phenomenon via the Internet. Cyberpunk-influenced science fiction with out queer characters, urban fantasies with LGBTQ characters, queer horror and television, movies and comics which celebrated queer subtext, all became more visible to mainstream audiences. One change in this decade was … Read more

New Book “The Girl From the Stars” Helps Gender Non Conforming Kids

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Girl From the Stars

I never set out to become a writer, let alone a chosen auntie to so many different children. Growing up transgender meant internalizing that I was defective from a much earlier age. Long ago, the world convinced me that I was dangerous, unsafe, and worthless—to everyone. Because of my broken childhood, I never believed in my right to use my creative voice for anything, not until relatively recently. Not until Pearl. In 2015, my whole life changed when I accidentally became a caregiver to the sweetest six-year-old. At the time, I was just a housemate, an awkward pink-haired girl living … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Reunion, by M.D. Neu

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QSFer M.D. Neu has a new gay/trans Halloween tale out: It’s been twenty years since the quiet Midwestern town of Lakeview was struck by tragedy. But every year on the anniversary of the event Teddy returns home for ‘The Reunion’. Lakeview, like Teddy, has secrets and not all mysteries should come to light. NineStar Press | Amazon Excerpt Teddy stood atop the grassy knoll, glancing down at Lakeview. Has it really been twenty years? The smell of fresh roses and lilies filled his senses. From there, he could see all of the town, Main Street, the radio tower, the old … Read more