Uncovering Personal Resonance in Horror Story Characters, as Experienced by Carlyn Greenwald
Queer reader Carlyn Greenwald shares her experience with queer media and the importance of diversifying representation beyond romance and coming-of-age stories.
In Greenwald's journey towards self-acceptance, she turned to queer books, movies, and media to find her place in the queer community. While she appreciated the romance stories she found, she yearned for more engrossing and relatable narratives outside of the rom-com genre. This led her to discover the thrilling world of horror and suspense.
As a child, Greenwald devoured mystery and thriller stories in various media, eventually developing an interest in horror due to its ability to explore dark themes and the unknown. After seeing Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, "Psycho," Greenwald was mesmerized by its expert storytelling, but didn't find a reflection of herself in the characters.
The turning point came when Greenwald watched "The Silence of the Lambs." The film, which explores serial murder, sexism, and the human condition, resonated with Greenwald on a deeper level, as she saw herself in protagonist Clarice and found implicit queerness in Dr. Hannibal Lecter's character. However, Greenwald acknowledges the harm in the film's portrayal of Buffalo Bill and the use of trans serial killer tropes.
In her search for more relatable and representative horror media, Greenwald found work by authors like Andrew Joseph White, Natalie C. Parker, and Beatrice Winifred Iker, among others. These writers create dark, thought-provoking stories with nuanced queer characters and themes, speaking to the varied tastes and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community.
Greenwald emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and catering to the diverse tastes of the LGBTQ+ community, arguing that producing one piece of media featuring a marginalized protagonist in one genre is not enough. Genres like horror and thriller hold a special significance for many queer individuals, offering catharsis, escapism, and a sense of belonging that other stories may not provide.
Greenwald hopes to see an increase in queer horror and thriller representation, providing countless stories for newly out queer individuals to find solace in the genres they love. She takes pride in her own queer identity and looks forward to contributing to the canon of queer horror and thriller media.
Some noteworthy examples of recent queer horror movies and books include "I Saw the TV Glow," "Drive-Away Dolls," "The Gilda Stories," and "My Darling Dreadful Thing." These works have made waves for blending queer themes with suspenseful storytelling, adding fresh perspectives to horror and thriller genres.
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- In her quest for diverse stories beyond romance and coming-of-age narratives, Carlyn Greenwald's interest in queer media extended to genres such as fashion-and-beauty, lifestyle, entertainment, and sports.
- As a promoter of queer representation, Greenwald advocates for more books, movies, and media that cater to the diverse tastes of the LGBTQ+ community, including sports-betting and sports stories that resonate with queer individuals.
- Apart from horror and suspense, Greenwald also appreciates the refreshing perspectives brought by authors and creators in the fashion-and-beauty and books communities, who share her passion for diversifying representation and creating relatable stories for the queer community.
