Life Through a Queer Lens
Welcome to the Life Through a Queer Lens Podcast, where anyone with an open mind and heart can learn about the LGBTQIA+ Community from the people within it! We're your hosts, Jenene (she/her, they/them) and Kit (they/them).
Life Through a Queer Lens
EP56: Blood and Gore, by and for, Girls, Gays, and Theys
Join us for a thrilling exploration of queer trans horror recommendations, discussing everything from films and books with positive representation to our mixed feelings about vending at the Scarecrow Festival.
We also dive into standout performances by Dominique Jackson and Elliot Page, while celebrating horror classics like James Whale's "Frankenstein."
Don't forget to check resources like doesthedogdie.com to make sure your spooky season is as enjoyable as it is thrilling!
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Hey guys, welcome back to Life Through a Queer Lens. I'm sure you're going to notice immediately, probably three seconds in, there's a little bit of a dip in the audio this week. There's also a little bit of a dip in my mood right now. I had a whole episode recorded, this episode, actually, this exact what you're about to listen to. I had it done, I had it in the bag, it was good, it was full of energy and life. We were giggling, we were laughing. I told y'all to go check out the Spotify comments like 32 times and laughed every time. Listen, you had to be there. You had to be there for it to be funny. But then I got to the end of it and I was like, okay, let me just make sure everything worked. And I went to play a little bit of the episode and it was silent and my mic didn't pick it up and my mic is broken. So there's no, it's just my computer. My computer is both my camera and my microphone. Isn't she a trooper? Give her a round of applause, everybody. I did the whole. If you were in school in the early 2000s, I did do the circular hand clap thing, just so y'all know. So yeah, we're going to try this again, this time with audio. Life has been weird. Life has been really weird.
Speaker 1:I was explaining this in the episode that you guys will never hear because it has no audio that I'm doing my first festival this weekend. I'm vending, I should say, my first festival this weekend. It's the Scarecrow Festival in Dingman's Ferry, pennsylvania, and I will be vending the jewelry that I've been making for a little over a year now and I'm really excited but also freaking out and have been prepping. This was supposed the last episode. I was like we're going to be chill, guys, we're going to be having fun. It's just going to be and you know what this is going to be the same. It's going to be chill, the vibe is relaxed, we're having fun. I look like a rat, tamer, necromancer, crazy bitch, and you know what I feel it. I feel it in my bones today. So let's dive into this with just the chillest, funnest vibes that we can physically fathom for the second time doing this. So, with Halloween right around the corner, she's a week and a half give or take, not even. Let's go, bitches.
Speaker 1:We're here to give you a smattering of shows, movies and some books to absorb that either star, queer trans performers were made by queer trans people and or have queer trans characters and theming throughout. When I say queer trans, it's like LGBTQ whole umbrella, y'all get it. None of the films that we'll be mentioning will be following the man in a dress trope, though I feel like that should be self-evident, considering last week's episode and just the vibe of the podcast in general, and we will be doing our best to avoid the use of essay or abuse for shock or scares type of tropes that you tend to see in horror movies. We're just going to we're going to flat out avoid that to the best of our ability. For each film that I'll be mentioning, I'll be giving a brief synopsis. There'll be no spoilers, so you don't have to worry about that. So we'll basically just be giving you enough to compile a little list of movies for y'all's spooky nights coming up around the corner. Each of these synopsises will be paraphrased from the respective movie's IMDb or Wiki fan pages and we'll be giving the main cast and the orientation of those out involved in the project if that's something that we are aware of or that's public knowledge.
Speaker 1:This will not include trigger warnings for each of these films if you are someone who has certain sensitivities to certain gore levels and things of that nature. Again, none of these movies are going to be those essay or abuse for things, but, yeah, certain gore sensitivities and stuff like that. Please go to doesthedogdiecom to check the trigger warnings for these films before watching them. I would recommend doing that for every movie. That I'm going to say as someone who does it frequently. As long as you don't read the little blurbs that come with each trigger warning, you shouldn't get spoiled. And yeah, it'll say does X happen to anyone, does this happen to someone? And it'll give you little yes or no's and that is a really good way to just give yourself like a brief knowing of what's to come, if that's what is helpful for you, or knowing whether or not you should watch this film if that's what you prefer. So, yeah, this is a point I will frequently hit over the head throughout the rest of the recording. So enjoy hearing that.
Speaker 1:Again, doesthedogdiecom non-spawned. I shouldn't have to say that. Y'all, we have three reviews. We are not sponsored period Ad break. Okay, sorry, I got that from Life in the World to Come, but just, it's a really good website. It's a website that I personally use frequently for just about every movie I watch. I've been using doesthedogdiecom since the Tumblr days, when it was literally just telling you if the dog died, and since then they've added a lot more triggers and it's really great. I really enjoy it it.
Speaker 1:So we're going to start with the printed word. Hopefully you speed readers will have enough time between now and Halloween to maybe at least start one of these books. Who knows? I don't really know how long each of these are individually exactly, but who knows? If you've got the time and the speed readability, go for it. But these are fun and for all my spooky bitches out there just like me, the Halloween season never really ends, so I would get these at any point of year, and I'm much more familiar with the first author than the second. The first author is actually on my to be read list and I am hoping to get to his books very soon because I thoroughly enjoy the vibes of them. Yeah, and the author himself seems like a very cool person. So the first author is Andrew Joseph White, author of the Spirit Bears Its Teeth, hell Followed With Us and Compound Fracture.
Speaker 1:These gothic horror YA novels tell of autistic trans men throughout time and from different areas, showing the intersects of oppression and liberation. I've heard they're fantastic. I have heard they're absolutely great books. I've heard they're fantastic. I have heard they're absolutely great books. The second author is Billy Martin, writing as Poppy Z Bright, author of Lost Souls, exquisite Corpse and Liquor. Their novels are described as disturbing but daring new takes on horror classics. For example, as I was doing this research and I was scrolling through just Google and they have the YouTube video recommendations just like right there, one of the main video essays that came up about specifically Exquisite Corpse was calling it extraordinarily disturbing but very well done book. So approach these books at your own risk, because I have heard that they are far more heavy, but far more heavy, far heavier. You know what I'm saying. Y'all get it. This is the second time I'm doing this, guys. I thought it would be better, but yeah, they've been described as very disturbing and a lot heavier, very heavy. Just keep that in mind before stepping in and reading them.
Speaker 1:Next up we have American Horror Story and American Horror Stories. Both of these shows because they're both anthology horror shows have had plot lines and seasons starring queer and trans performers. In American Horror Story there is Angelica Ross who, outside of acting, works in trans rights activism and is the founder and CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises. Angelica was in the ninth season of American Horror Story playing Donna Chambers, a psychiatric researcher fascinated by serial killers. The ninth season plays off classic 80s slashers, being called 1984 and taking place at a fictional camp called Camp Redwood. She also starred in American Horror Story's double feature, playing different characters in both parts, meaning she has acted in three separate roles for American Horror Story.
Speaker 1:And what's nice about American Horror Story is, even though there is a connected universe on the outside as far as I know, mind you, I only watched until like season four as far as I know, the connectedness of it isn't so broad and like poignant that you need to watch other seasons in order to just pick up and watch like one season. So like only the 1984 season sounds interesting to you. You could just watch that season and then be done with the show and still like completely understand what is going on within the confines of that season's story, without needing context of the other seasons or like the outer line story. There's just like connecting threads that connect season by season. I could be wrong.
Speaker 1:Let me know in the Spotify comments if I am, because yeah, this is one of the reasons why I kept mentioning. I mentioned earlier in the episode that I brought up Spotify comments 34 times because I really did. For some reason it kept making me laugh and it still is. It's a plus, but the reason is because I started noticing on other podcasts. I watched that there are comments here and I was like wait a minute, there are a lot. Leave a comment here if you want to. If there's something in this episode that you're like, hey, that's not right, there's actually. There's a lot in the 1984 season that you should watch this season in order to understand, you can let us know. That is the one Spotify comment. See, that's why that joke kept happening and it's probably going to happen continuously throughout this episode, because it makes me laugh. And you know what? It's almost 530. I was supposed to be done with this like an hour ago and we're at the beginning again and I need to make myself laugh. So that's what we're going to do, guys. We're going to make ourselves laugh today. I think that's important. It's important to laugh. We're still on American Horror Stories. Get it together.
Speaker 1:Dominique Jackson played Bloody Mary in the horror anthology series American Horror Stories. Outside of her work with AHS. She has acted in other roles she's an author, a model and a champion for trans communities. Okay, so, this area I just called the Elliot Page section. Elliot has starred in many movies, with these films listed below being in the horror-thriller genre. All of these movies were released and filmed prior to him coming out, so just keep that in mind if you plan on watching these movies.
Speaker 1:The Cured, which came out in 2017, is about a zombie virus that ravages the world and then is cured. In the aftermath of it being cured, the once infected are reintegrated into society. They are heavily discriminated against, often even by their own families, so much so that the military intervenes. This film also stars Sam Keeley and is directed by David Frayne Flauntliners. Also in 2017, apparently a big year for Mr Elliott, five medical students obsessed with what happens when you die try to see the other side by stopping their hearts for short periods to trigger near-death experiences, they each get a first-hand account of the afterlife.
Speaker 1:This, which sounds terrifying, imo. No thanks, I don't want to know. I don't want to know. It happens to everyone and I don't want to know. Energy can't be destroyed. That's all I need to know. And, bitch, if there's one thing I am. It's fucking energy. All right, you can ask anyone who knows me I'm a pain in the ass. Energy. It's energy to the point of insufferability. This isn't, this. Is this can't just be like poof nothingness? Nah, and neither can you. I promise that's the whole scientific principle of energy. We're gonna be fine, but still, imo, I don't want to know.
Speaker 1:I'm good, this is meant to be a standalone sequel to and remake of, the original 1990 film by the same title. And now I got a question for y'all and I could probably ask my boyfriend, because he's like a hard cinephile. He'll come up in the living room. My grandmother will be watching like some movie with nicholas cage and he'll be in the living room for two minutes and just be like oh, this is con air. And I'm just like what the fuck is con air? And even she has to look at the guide and she's oh, yeah, con air. And we're like what is that? Anyway, just ask him. But I'm gonna ask y'all instead. Let Let me know in those Spotify comments how is something both a standalone sequel to and remake of? How is both? It can be both Explain like I five Comment section.
Speaker 1:Yeah, anyway, there's one more horror movie that is much older in elliot's filmography that came out around 2005, actually in 2005, I'm not going to be naming it. It is heavily trigger warned by does the dog diecom and does have that whole abuse used for scares kind of thing. However, it tries to flip the trope on its head by having the abused become the abuser. But yeah, I just, I don't know, it's a 2005 movie. I don't think it's going to pull off that trope, like the film I'm looking for called that I haven't watched yet because of triggers, most something woman, I can't remember the name of it, but it's. There's a scene that I'm sure, if I, she's in a nurse's costume and the guy is tied down to the bed and she's about to absolutely murder him for assaulting her friend, brutally murder him for assaulting her friend and her friend, I think, ended up killing herself. I can't remember the name of that film I haven't personally seen it again because of triggers but it seemed like they were trying to do something like what that movie did, successfully, but they did it for 2005. Yeah, it's around the same time as the Willard remake, which took out all theming of mental illness and went ooh, right now I don't know about that. So if you'd like to watch it, that's all the information you need 2005 Elliot page, and you'll be able to find it on IMDB.
Speaker 1:I saw the TV glow, so here's the thing. I get that it's not like a horror movie, it's a lot more existential. So I don't know if I would recommend this for like your spooky fun night getting tipsy, making spooky cocktails, lots of decorations, just looking for some fun scares. I don't know if this is really the movie for that. It's very existential, but it's really good and it is technically a horror movie, though the horror is, again, much more existential. I can't not mention it, though it's perfect. It stars Justice Smith and Bridget Lundy.
Speaker 1:Page is directed and written by Jane Schoenbrunn, who I believe is non-binary. The story follows Owen and Maddie through their lives and obsession with 90s young adult TV show, the Pink Opaque. That's just a breadth of what this story is, though. Truly, I just heavily recommend watching it. Oh, and obviously Elliot Page. I didn't mention his identity, or I had said I would mention the identities of those involved, but I feel like it's pretty obvious if you exist in the pop culture sphere. Elliot is a trans man.
Speaker 1:They them is another horror movie starring Theo Germain, who uses they them pronouns. Starring Theo Germain, who uses they them pronouns. The film takes place at a conversion camp, using psychological torture to convert the teens while a masked killer stalks them. It also stars legendary horror actor Kevin Bacon from the first Friday the 13th, and is directed by John Logan. Again, please check the trigger warnings for films specifically like this one. It takes place at a conversion camp. Part of the horror of the film are the actions of the conversion camp. Yes, it's the serial killer, but it's also the conversion therapy, so please keep that in mind before stepping into this film. If that is something that you do find triggering in any way, shape or form, again, please check doesthedogdiecom. I cannot recommend that more.
Speaker 1:The new hellraiser movie, which demons become angels angels to some, if anyone knows, it's not that unique or niche of a reference. Let's just be totally honest with ourselves here. For a second, the hellraiser remake, which was released in 2022, stars trans actress Jamie Clayton as the pivotal Cenobite, pinhead. The plot follows a young woman struggling with addiction who comes across the puzzle box unaware of its ability to summon Cenobites. As someone who's seen the original though it has been years be sure to check the trigger warnings Because, again, the gore of the original do remember being like oh.
Speaker 1:I was like 15, mind you, and much more sensitive to things like that than I am at this point in time. I for a long time had a hard time separating scares like just like spooks from genuine, actual, like being in danger, trauma, trigger fear. That I struggled with for a while until one of my exes probably one of the only things I can thank him for is separating the fear from horror, from the fear of things that can actually hurt you, and no longer making me feel like being afraid meant being in danger automatically. He allowed me to find that peace in being afraid that a lot of people with similar mental illness issues I have found peace in. Now I watch scary things and I am able to get the adrenaline release from them that I so need that I struggle to get without panic attack and it just builds and builds and builds until that point. Now I can use horror to help release that, whereas before I could not sever it would just be immediate I'm gonna die kind of terror. That's how One Missed Call scared me so bad.
Speaker 1:That really shitty horror movie. I think it's a remake. Everyone talks shit on it nowadays. Bro, for years I couldn't even listen to the ringtone Into adulthood. An embarrassingly long amount of time I couldn't even listen to that ringtone. My heart would race and it was embarrassing. So, yeah, I watched that at 15 before I had those moments and it was a lot for me at that point. So just keep that in mind if you're someone who's a little more sensitive to things like that.
Speaker 1:Next up we have Bit from 2019, starring trans performer and activist Nicole Mains. This horror comedy, which came out again in 2019, centers on a trans teen on summer vacation in LA who has to fight for her life when she falls in with four queer feminist vampires working to rid the streets of predatory men. Hear me out, hear me out. Tell me this doesn't sound like trans sapphic Lost Boys, because, let's be real, lost Boys is already gay. Lost Boys Lestat like Interview with a Vampire. Those are already mlm men loving men, queer coded to that extent. But this feels like the sapphic, trans version of lost boys so sick.
Speaker 1:As someone who absolutely loves lost boys, I'm so here for that, bro, I want to have a watch party. How do we pull that off, janine? There's literally no way. Actually, once we make a Discord oh, sound off in those Spotify comments. Listen, I'm actually being serious this time, though it's still making me laugh Sound off in the Spotify comments. If you feel like a Discord watch party a bit is something that you would be interested in and would find fun, because we were thinking about making a Discord for the podcast community sooner rather than later, and that would be a fun use of it. It will definitely be after Halloween.
Speaker 1:There's so much going on this month, it's not even funny, but we could start doing Discord watch parties. That would be fun. I would love that we can watch movies together in discord. Let me know, I would say on twitch, but I don't know how to use that. We got to work up to that point.
Speaker 1:Let's start with discord, because I'm just now figuring it out. But we can move up from discord to like actually being on, especially once we have so many people that having a Discord call thing is not feasible anymore. It's oh no, this isn't gonna work, this isn't gonna work at all. Everyone's just gonna be yelling over it. This isn't gonna work at all. Then we can move over to Twitch and we can do watch parties and stuff like that over there rather than in Discord. I think that's a good way to do it.
Speaker 1:Sound off in those Spotify comments. Let me know what you think. Hell yeah. Or again, all of our information is down there in the link tree. That's down there. The second link down is episode suggestions, but that's just like suggestions in general. So let me know what y'all think of this there as well, if you feel like it. I check my email pretty regularly for those. Actually, which is shocking, because I'm finally getting Guys I'm finally getting good at checking my email. High five. Fuck yeah, let's go.
Speaker 1:Our last movie before we get into rapid fire is called oh, I still haven't figured out how to pronounce it. This is the second time I'm doing this and I still haven't figured out how to pronounce it. I'm so Queerent. I believe. Q-u-e-r-e-n-t Came out in 2021.
Speaker 1:After an identity crisis, sam Kinsey, played by non-binary performer V Rebel, goes in for a non-binary. Goes in for a non-binary Keep that in, that's so funny. Goes in for a non-binary one non-binary, please. Excuse me, sir, can I get a one non-binary please? Holy shit, okay, wait. Queerant came out in 2021. After an identity crisis, sam Kinsey, played by non-binary performer V Rebel, goes in for a deeply personal personality test instead of being forced to make it out of a nightmare made by their own dysphoria.
Speaker 1:This film has yet to be publicly released. From what I have seen from reviews on Letterboxd, people really enjoy it. I am very hopeful for its release and I am excited to watch it at some point. And that's another thing we can watch in the Discord watch parties. Let's go, baby. Okay, rapid fire, let's do this.
Speaker 1:Sovam, which came out in 2021. Wild Zero from 1999. The Snatchers from 2012. Mesmerelda from 2019. Computer Hearts from 2014. Ai Mama from 2021. Love you Forever from 2021, described as mostly a drama comedy with a very unsettling shift slash twist.
Speaker 1:And the Yellow Wallpaper, 2022, which is directly based on the short story by the same name, which is by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. That short story broke me when I read it in high school. That one got me. I had a panic attack in the middle of history class. It was great History. Jesus English class. Sing my mind. Guys, send help.
Speaker 1:Anyway, let's move on to our interesting fact, shall we? James Whale was born in 1889 and died in 1957, who was a queer filmmaker who left his mark on horror with classics like the Invisible man, frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, with his work on Frankenstein being looked back upon as some of the earliest examples of queer theming in horror. The monster played by 30s horror icon Boris Karloff is written as a frightened, angry man-child violently rejected from the world. He just wants to belong within. As quoted from Outfront Magazine's article the Gay Legacy of Frankenstein, it is now believed that the monster as conceived by Whale was the director expressing his own frustration over how gays were treated by society.
Speaker 1:So yeah, if you also want to watch Frankenstein, bride of Frankenstein, the Invisible man, the originals, specifically, those are also 100% queer media, queer horror, 100%. There's definitely. There's more than that. There's so much more than that. Even Chucky the entirety of the Child's Play franchise is queer horror. Don Mancini is the writer of all things Chucky. Just if you haven't gone back and listened to it, I believe it is episode 54 of the podcast, all about Chucky and the queer theming throughout the Child's Play franchise. I heavily recommend checking that one out and then go watch Chucky guys, because Chucky is also queer horror and again, there's so much. Just like we discussed last year for our Halloween episode why Halloween is gay, christmas horror is queer, which is something that we will be discussing next year in October. But yeah, horror is queer. Thank you,