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LGBT

Article: Celebrate Marriage Equality with these 12 Beloved LGBT Characters from Geek Culture

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Family and Reflection

Article: Celebrate Marriage Equality with these 12 Beloved LGBT Characters from Geek Culture Sci-fi tends to explore themes of identity, tolerance of differences, and true expression of the self, so many stories have served as allegories for the oppression of homosexuals in society, most notably X-Men. But in spite of this, geek culture hasn’t historically been the most diverse, with sci-fi TV and comics just recently taking some baby steps towards representation (there are no sci-fi movie franchises on this list). And the real world is catching up, as SCOTUS just ruled that gay marriage is legal in all 50 … Read more

Article: Supreme Court rules states must allow same-sex marriage

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Washington (CNN)In a landmark opinion, the Supreme Court ruled Friday that states cannot ban same-sex marriage, establishing a new civil right and handing gay rights advocates a victory that until very recently would have seemed unthinkable. The 5-4 ruling had Justice Anthony Kennedy writing for the majority with the four liberal justices. Each of the four conservative justices wrote their own dissent. See the full article here

Article: Queer Cogs

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** I should preface this article by saying that I am self-published and have never submitted to Tor. Yet I continue to direct fellow authors and readers to this article because it both highlights the LGBTQ inclusiveness of Steampunk AND is hosted by the aforementioned large publisher. That fact alone sends one of steampunk’s primary messages: there’s hope for humanity. -Vance ** Queer Cogs: Steampunk, Gender Identity, and Sexuality Lisa Hager Given that speculative fiction questions our most basic assumptions about life, from what is the nature of consciousness to our knowledge of history, it also regularly challenges our accepted … Read more

Announcement: Caledonia, by Amy Hoff

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Caledonia

QSFer Amy Hoff has a new Fantasy book out: D.I. Leah Bishop accepts a transfer to a Glasgow branch of Interpol. She soon discovers her fellow officers are monsters from folklore, and they have recruited her to help them solve what they have always considered a human crime – the first serial killing of faeries. Leah and her Victorian selkie partner, Dorian Grey, investigate supernatural crime in Scotland’s city of culture. Excerpt Yesterday, Leah Bishop didn’t believe in faeries. *** “What the hell,” she croaked, because awake was definitely not what she wanted to be. She looked at the empty … Read more

Announcement: A Siren Released, by R.C. Ethan

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A Siren Released

QSFer R.C. Ethan has a new fantasy book out: Meet Iris. An introverted, enamoured and bullied girl. That is until a school trip to the town’s aquarium changes everything about her and her life. A duckling turned temptress finds herself entangled in oceanic mysteries, serial murders, famiy secrets and a love rectangle that will test who she is and what she’s made of. Mild language and violence. Contains Bisexual characters and situations. Excerpt Buy Links Swoon Reads (Free): Click Here Author Bio Rhys Christopher Ethan is by no means a scientist, but he is an architect of his own fantasy … Read more

Discussion: Bending the Mainstream

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Gay LOTR

Another fun topic today. There are so many mainstream/straight stories out there. Growing up, most of us were immersed in a sea of heterosexuality. As we’ve discussed many times in this group, there has historically been a real lack of LGBT representation out in the world culturally – in film and in literature. That’s changing now, but there are still many iconic books, shows and films that have virtually no LGBT content. Here’s your change to change that. If you could take a current mainstream sci fi/fantasy/paranormal story (film, book, etc) and give it a real LGBTQI/QUILTBAG twist, which series … Read more

“The Queen of Lies” by Michael J. Bode

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Genre: LGBTQ+ Epic Fantasy Length: Novel   The story in The Queen of Lies is incredibly complex and detailed, as an epic fantasy should be, and we have several wonderful point of views to explore. There’s Maddox, the arcane student who fucks up his exams and accidentally winds up immortal—at first no one is certain whether they should praise him or condemn him. There’s Jessa, heiress to the throne of a long line of storm-callers. Her mother is conniving and maniacal (I may be downplaying the crazy part). And there are Heath and Sword, who are essentially mercenaries; Heath is … Read more

The Midweek Mingle: SJWs

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A lot of talk goes around the net about SJWs. Social Justice Warriors. And for the most part, it’s used as an insult, though I can’t really understand why. I proudly proclaim my status as an SJW, and am constantly working to become a better one. If you don’t know, an SJW is someone who works to spread justice for everyone. Equal rights, freedom, liberty, et cetera. When it’s used as an insult, the term SJW normally refers to someone who is hostile about their beliefs, and who goes on lengthy diatribes or goes to an extreme in the matter. … Read more

Announcement: Somewhere Out There

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Somewhere Out There

QSF author and Publisher Angelia Sparrow’s press Inkstained Succubus has a new sci fi anthology out: At its best, science fiction presents us not just with a vision of the future, but with more understanding of ourselves and how to get to that future. It presents us with ways to think about relationships and people. And this time, it’s about the shapes of relationships. In these eight stories, we run the gamut. Whether a shipboard fantasy about a captain that turns into more or the new fiancé meeting the former spouse, people remain people, with loves and confusion. Sometimes the … Read more

The Midweek Mingle: QUILTBAG+ Tropes

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It’s no secret that QUILTBAG+ characters in fiction have been widely misrepresented. And it’s no secret that it’s a big issue that needs solving. Personally, I think speculative fiction is the perfect battleground for that fight. In speculative fiction, we craft worlds from the ground up. Worlds, characters, cultures—more than any other genre, sci-fi and fantasy give the writer complete control over every aspect of their fictional playground. Not to mention we have a history of QUILTBAG+ representation to bring to play, and a history of tackling society’s issues in our fiction. Star Trek: The Next Generation comes to mind. … Read more