Queer Horror at King Manor Museum

King Manor’s Spooky Season series continues with a book discussion by our very own Education & Program Coordinator, Abigail Waldron! Abigail is the author of Queer Screams: A History of LGBTQ+ Survival Through the Lens of American Horror Cinema published this past August. Join us for a discussion of her book and a Q&A. Signed copies of Queer Screams are available for purchase!

“The horror genre mirrors the American queer experience, both positively and negatively, overtly and subtextually, from the lumbering, flower-picking monster of Frankenstein (1931) to the fearless intersectional protagonist of the Fear Street Trilogy (2021). This is a historical look at the queer experiences of the horror genre’s characters, performers, authors and filmmakers.

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.”