Queer Screams

<p> The horror genre mirrors the American queer experience both positively and negatively overtly and subtextually from the lumbering flower-picking monster of <I>Frankenstein</I> (1931) to the fearless intersectional protagonist of the <I>Fear Street Trilogy</I> (2021). This is a historical look at the queer experiences of the horror genre's characters performers authors and filmmakers. </p><p> Offering a fresh look at the horror genre's queer roots this book documents how diverse stories have provided an outlet for queer people--including transgender and non-binary people--to find catharsis and reclamation. Freaks dolls serial killers telekinetic teenagers and Final Girls all have something to contribute to the historical examination of the American LGBTQ+ experience. Ranging from psychiatry to homophobic fear of HIV/AIDS spread and most recently the alienation and self-determination of queer America in the Trump era this is a look into how terror may repair a shattered queer heart.</p>