TY - JOUR
T1 - Australian Queer Science Fiction Fans
AU - Kerry, Stephen
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Science fiction (sf) does more than provide a fleeting moment of entertainment; it has many personal and social functions. In addition to offering audiences “romantic escapism” (Gerrold, 1996, pp. 5–6), sf also enables the “postulation of an alternative reality from which to contemplate this one” (Gerrold, 1996, pp. 5–6); as such, it is especially important “for groups which have had limited stakes in the status quo” (Jenkins, 1995, p. 242). To date, no research has been undertaken on the relationship between Australian queers and sf fandom. This article reports the findings of an online survey and explores the psycho-social features of Australian queer sf fans and why they like the genre. While the characteristics of this sample mirror those of Australian queers generally, they also have slightly higher rates of mental illness and are far more likely to state they have “no religion.” Furthermore, while enjoying the “sciency” (P10, bisexual woman) aspects of sf, Australian queers also like the “poignant metaphors for our own civilization” (P45, asexual man)
AB - Science fiction (sf) does more than provide a fleeting moment of entertainment; it has many personal and social functions. In addition to offering audiences “romantic escapism” (Gerrold, 1996, pp. 5–6), sf also enables the “postulation of an alternative reality from which to contemplate this one” (Gerrold, 1996, pp. 5–6); as such, it is especially important “for groups which have had limited stakes in the status quo” (Jenkins, 1995, p. 242). To date, no research has been undertaken on the relationship between Australian queers and sf fandom. This article reports the findings of an online survey and explores the psycho-social features of Australian queer sf fans and why they like the genre. While the characteristics of this sample mirror those of Australian queers generally, they also have slightly higher rates of mental illness and are far more likely to state they have “no religion.” Furthermore, while enjoying the “sciency” (P10, bisexual woman) aspects of sf, Australian queers also like the “poignant metaphors for our own civilization” (P45, asexual man)
KW - Australia
KW - fandom
KW - health
KW - mental illness
KW - queer
KW - Science fiction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85033372800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00918369.2017.1395262
DO - 10.1080/00918369.2017.1395262
M3 - Article
C2 - 29058530
AN - SCOPUS:85033372800
SN - 0091-8369
VL - 66
SP - 100
EP - 116
JO - Journal of Homosexuality
JF - Journal of Homosexuality
IS - 1
ER -