I wanted to write a bit more than what I posted on social media about an event I attended last weekend. The Final Girl bar in Kenosha, WI hosted a fundraiser for the Lake County, IL LGBTQIA Center. The theme for “Slay the Lake” was a celebration of queer horror.
I’ve attended a multitude of events in my life, from panels, to book sale, to comicons, to well, you name it. I’ve had good days for sales, awful days, and everything between. I’ve been well received and had people look side-eye at me for being gay.
I wish I could better explain the exhilaration of being in a space dedicated to and celebrating LGBTQIA+ horror. When I was coming out, I never dreamt so many authors would focus on queer horror! Not even in my wildest imagination did I envision a place for queer horror readers to gather and find a multitude of books to read!
We laughed. We supported one another. Authors and readers chatted all day. I had a couple delightful drinks and some food!
The world often feels like a huge toilet right now. I’ve mentioned before the importance of staying together and lifting each other up. To fight the current darkness, we have to bond together. Slay the Lake isn’t going to topple authoritarianism. But a day of escape reminded us of the good we find in each other. Championing the arts, no matter the genre, makes a difference.
QUEER HORROR KICKS ASS!!!!