Catch 22: (Definition from Urban Dictionary): ‘A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.’ And there, dear reader, is the crux of what it is to be queer in the contemporary worlds of literature, film and television. We, the Queers, have arrived. We are accepted and or tolerated by a large majority of the population. Outside of communities and countries ruled by religious fanatics, we walk side by side with our straight counterparts. While this acceptance is hardly universal, it is the norm in … Read more

Today, we’ll dip our toes into the fantasy pool courtesy of QSFer Jordan Marshall: “Magic wielding characters. Does the ability to use magic come from an innate gift or bloodline? Are we creating interesting stories by reinforcing the idea of inborn talent?” I’ve always loved stories about magic-wielding characters, especially when it’s something latent in the bloodline – one of the first of these that I read was the Sword of Shannara. I first ran across this book back in my freshman or sophomore year in high school, back in ’82 or ’83 – yeah, I’m old. I was enraptured … Read more