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Gaylaxicon is a recurring science fiction, fantasy and horror convention that focused on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender topics. It has taken in various locations in the United States and occasionally Canada, often on the East Coast.
Started in 1988 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, Gaylaxicon was organized by member organizations of the Gaylactic Network. The Gaylaxian Science Fiction Society (GSFS) was the New England–based chapter of the Network, which organized the original convention.
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards were sometimes awarded at Gaylaxicon and were instituted by the organisers of the conference. They are now managed by the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Council, an independent organization.
Gaylaxicon was organized by member organizations of the Gaylactic Network. [1] The Gaylaxian Science Fiction Society (GSFS) is the New England–based chapter of the Network, which organized the original convention in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1988. [2]
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) topics in a positive way. Established in 1998, the awards were initially presented by the Gaylactic Network, with awards first awarded in 1999 at Gaylaxicon. In 2002 the awards were given their own organization, the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Foundation. [3]
The results were generally announced and presented at Gaylaxicon, although they have also been presented at Worldcon in the past. [4] [5]
Year | Location: Town | Location: State | Guest(s) of Honor: Author | Guest(s) of Honor: Other | Note | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Provincetown | Massachusetts | J.F. Rivkin | — | Gaylaxicon '88, 90 attendees | [6] |
1990 | Tewksbury | Massachusetts | Melissa Scott | Hannah M.G. Shapero (artist) | Gaylaxicon '90, 130 attendees | [6] |
1991 | Tewksbury | Massachusetts | Samuel R. Delany | Hannah M.G. Shapero (artist) | Gaylaxicon '91, 245 attendees | [6] |
1992 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Tanya Huff | Tristan Alexander (artist) | Gaylaxicon IV, 360 attendees | [6] |
1994 | Rockville | Maryland | Jewelle Gomez | Tom Howell (artist) Forrest J Ackerman (special guest) | Gaylaxicon V, 350 attendees | [6] |
1995 | Niagara Falls | New York | Don Sakers | Heather Bruton (artist) | Gaylaxicon VI, 180 attendees | [6] [7] |
1996 | Burlington | Massachusetts | Ellen Kushner Delia Sherman | Colleen Doran (artist) | Gaylaxicon VII, 342 attendees | [6] |
1997 | Marlboro | Massachusetts | — | — | Gaylaxicon Lite '97, 90 attendees | [6] |
1998 | Troy | Michigan | Anne Harris | Kurt Erichson (cartoonist) Frank Gembeck, Jr. (artist) | Gaylaxicon 8, 60 attendees | [6] |
1999 | Arlington | Virginia | Diane Duane | Nancy Janda (artist) Jean-Pierre Dorleac (special guest) | Gaylaxicon 1999, 303 attendees, the 10th Gaylaxicon | [6] [8] |
2000 | Arlington | Virginia | Fiona Patton | Nan Fredman (artist) | Gaylaxicon 2000, 265 attendees | [6] [9] |
2004 | San Diego | California | David Gerrold | Joe Phillips (artist) Virginia Hey (actor, Farscape ) | 285 attendees | [10] |
2005 | Boston | Massachusetts | Lois McMaster Bujold | Phil Jimenez (artist: Star Trek: Hidden Frontier ) | 250 attendees | [11] |
2006 | Toronto | Ontario (Canada) | Nalo Hopkinson | Ellen Muth (actor) Richard Arnold (media) Michael Rowe (editor) | Gaylaxicon 2006 | [12] [13] [14] |
2007 | Atlanta | Georgia | Jim Grimsley | Georges Jeanty (artist) | Other guests: David Gerrold, Joe Haldeman, Steve Berman, Toni Weisskopf, James Cawley, David B. Coe | [14] [15] |
2008 | Bethesda | Maryland | Geoff Ryman | Alicia Austin (artist) | [14] [16] | |
2009 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Margaret Weis | Andy Mangels Lawrence Schimel Terrance Griep | Gaylaxicon 2009, 313 attendees | [17] [18] |
2010 | Montreal | Quebec (Canada) | Canceled [19] | [20] | ||
2011 | Atlanta | Georgia | n/a (Wayback of Outlacon website lists guests, but only three GoHs) | Amber Benson (GoH) [21] Don Schermerhorn and Wayne Hergenroder (fan GoHs) [22] | May 13 to 15. Hosted as part of Outlantacon. | [23] |
2012 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Kyell Gold | Gary Russell (Writer/Producer) Lyda Morehouse (Writer) Barbara Schulz (Artist) | Gaylaxicon 2012, unknown attendees | [24] |
2014 | Atlanta | Georgia | Philip Bonneau | May 2–4 | [25] | |
2016 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | unknown | [26] | ||
2018 | Atlanta | Georgia | May 11–13 Outlantacon/Gaylaxicon 2018 attendance unknown | [26] |
LGBT themes in speculative fiction include lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBTQ) themes in science fiction, fantasy, horror fiction and related genres.[a] Such elements may include an LGBT character as the protagonist or a major character, or explorations of sexuality or gender that deviate from the heteronormative.
Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ+ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ+ literature. The awards were instituted in 1989.
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBTQ topics in a positive way. Established in 1998, the awards were initially presented by the Gaylactic Network, with awards first awarded in 1999. In 2002 the awards were given their own organization, the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Foundation.
Steve Berman is an American editor, novelist and short story writer. He writes in the field of queer speculative fiction.
Tim Pratt is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and poet. He won a Hugo Award in 2007 for his short story "Impossible Dreams". He has written over 20 books, including the Marla Mason series and several Pathfinder Tales novels. His writing has earned him nominations for Nebula, Mythopoeic, World Fantasy, and Bram Stoker awards and has been published in numerous markets, including Asimov's Science Fiction, Realms of Fantasy, Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show, and Strange Horizons.
LGBTQ themes in horror fiction refers to sexuality in horror fiction that can often focus on LGBTQ+ characters and themes within various forms of media. It may deal with characters who are coded as or who are openly LGBTQ+, or it may deal with themes or plots that are specific to gender and sexual minorities.
In comics, LGBT themes are a relatively new concept, as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) themes and characters were historically omitted from the content of comic books and their comic strip predecessors due to anti-gay censorship. LGBT existence was included only via innuendo, subtext and inference. However the practice of hiding LGBT characters in the early part of the twentieth century evolved into open inclusion in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, and comics explored the challenges of coming-out, societal discrimination, and personal and romantic relationships between gay characters.
Karin Lowachee is a Canadian author of speculative fiction. She is best known for her Warchild series, including Warchild (2002), Burndive (2003), and Cagebird (2005).
The Gaylactic Network is a North American LGBT science fiction fandom organization. It has several affiliate chapters across the United States and Canada, with a membership of LGBT people and friends, sharing an interest in science fiction, fantasy, horror, comics and role-playing games.
Diversicon is an annual speculative fiction convention held in July or August in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota area. Diversicon provides programming and social opportunities to encourage the multicultural, multimedia exploration and celebration of SF by those within and outside of the traditional SF community. Diversicon includes both live and posthumous guests. It is sponsored by SF Minnesota.
Don Sakers was an American science fiction writer and fan who lived in Maryland, and wrote several novels and edited a short story collection. In 2009 he succeeded Thomas Easton as book reviewer for Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine. Sakers is probably best known in the science fiction community as a frequent guest speaker at science fiction conventions.
Bending the Landscape is the title of an award-winning series of LGBT-themed anthologies of short speculative fiction edited by Nicola Griffith and Stephen Pagel. Three books were produced between 1997 and 2002, subtitled Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Each volume won LGBT or genre awards.
Keith Hartman is an American writer of speculative fiction and a self-described "struggling film-maker". He has also written non-fiction books on gay and lesbian issues. He has been nominated a number of times for the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards and Lambda Literary Award for LGBT literature.
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Aqueduct Press is a publisher based in Seattle, Washington, United States that publishes material featuring a feminist viewpoint.
Amanda Downum is an American fantasy author best known for her Necromancer Chronicles trilogy: The Drowning City (2009), The Bone Palace (2010), and Kingdoms of Dust (2012). For these novels, which explore of LGBT topics and characters, she was nominated for the Gaylactic Spectrum Award, David Gemmell Award, and James Tiptree, Jr. Award. Downum’s books consist of themes relating to identity, gender roles and sexuality, death, secrets and social stratification.