+ Overview +

While the majority of popular discourse surrounding queer issues in the late 1900s were concerned with cisgendered gay, lesbian, and bisexual members of the community, more often than not it wasn’t them who were overtly slandered in horror media. It was instead those who were gender non-conforming (GNC). More specifically - a trope of slasher villains who were men that enjoyed dressing as women rose up and gained popularity throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. For filmmakers it was a way to add an easy psychological layer to their villain. And for the audience, it was a thrilling twist that made a scary character seem even more freakish.  

That isn’t to say that cisgendered queer human villains didn’t exist. They did, but weren’t as prominent and usually relied on coded subtext as opposed to the overt nature of GNC villains. The remainder of this section will serve to explore the two main psychological aspects of a character that crossdressing represents in horror media, and how both aspects relate to overarching historical contexts and stereotypes.

Logo for a queer horror film fest • The Hollywood Theatre