Whether you’re looking for lesbian witches, vampires or ghosts, there’s something spook-tacular and super queer awaiting you on this list
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE BY FOX ATOMIC
It’s no secret that, generally speaking, LGBTQIA+ folks love the lead-up to Halloween. So if, like me, you spend September through October almost exclusively consuming gory, haunting and scary books, shows and films, you’re probably wondering what you should read or watch next. Coming up, I recommend some films, shows and books that deliver both queer rep and plenty of vibes fit for spooky season.
Pssst… If you’re the type of DIVA who doesn’t like gore, jump scares or violence, don’t worry. I’ve included plenty of tamer picks that are more atmospheric than cortisol-pumping.
Kicking things off… these are some recommendations for film lovers
Jennifer’s Body
There’s no better place to start than with this staple piece of campy and satirical cinema. While this comedy-horror was widely considered a flop when it first came out, it found its audience a decade later. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Megan Fox play a bisexual succubus?
Bodies Bodies Bodies
I will personally watch anything that Amandla Stenberg or Rachel Sennott star in. This is one of my favourite performances from both stars. The film follows a group of privileged 20-somethings who are stuck in a remote mansion during a hurricane. They decide to play a party game that ends with a dead body and a high-stakes race to figure out who the killer among them is.
I Saw The TV Glow
This one’s good for those who aren’t fans of gore, violence or jumpscares. It’s much more of a slow-paced psychological watch. It’s definitely one that you can take something new from with each watch, so even if you’ve seen this one before, I’d highly recommend giving it a re-watch this spooky season. If you love horrors that utilise the genre to explore themes of identity, then this is a must-watch.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
This year marks this classic film’s 50th anniversary. Suffice to say, there’s never been a better time to watch this iconic flick for the first time, or to revisit the wild and wonderful world of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I could watch Susan Sarandon sing: “Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me, I wanna be dirty /
Thrill me, chill me, fulfil me” on loop and never get bored.
Dracula’s Ex-Girlfriend
This short film, written by and starring DIVA favourite Abigail Thorn, is perfect viewing for fans of toxic vampires. In just 32 minutes, this short takes a look at relationship trauma. Viewers get to see two former rivals catching up over drinks. Oh, and things get awkward when the conversation topic turns to their toxic ex-lover. Oh, and said ex happens to be Dracula.
Next up, here’s something for those who are looking for their next show to marathon
The Haunting Of Bly Manor
While there are certainly some jump scares in this one, it’s much more tame compared to other horrors by Mike Flanagan. It’s part ghost story, part lesbian love story – and, in my opinion, it’s far more romantic (albeit in a haunting way) than it is scary. With Victoria Pedretti, Kate Siegel and T’Nia Miller in the cast, what’s not to love?
Yellowjackets
This show jumps backwards and forwards in time and follows the lives of a group of teenage girls who get stranded in the Ontario wilderness following a plane crash and the women they grow up to be when they rejoin society. The cast is absolutely jam-packed with queer stars and icons. If you love a thrilling survival story, this one is for you.
First Kill
This utterly addictive coming-of-age series follows the forbidden love story between a vampire and a vampire hunter. It’s super gay, super compelling, and sadly, super cancelled. It’s one of the many lesbian-led shows we’ve lost to the alarming “Cancel Your Gays” trend. I’d still recommend watching it this spooky season despite the fact it didn’t get the ending it deserved.
Agatha All Along
Last year, this show made history as being the first onscreen sapphic kiss within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s wonderfully sapphic, and oh, who could resist watching Aubrey Plaza and Kathryn Hahn flirt with one another? This is a stylistically rich show, with each episode standing out from one another visually, while linking together with ease.
The Last Of Us
If you’d like a refreshing take on a Zombie survival story, this one’s for you. This game-to-screen adaptation is a must-watch for fans of apocalyptic tales. In season one, you get to see Ellie (played by non-binary star Bella Ramsey) and Joel (played by LGBTQIA advocate Pedro Pascal) develop a moving father-daughter relationship. Oh, and there’s plenty of sapphic rep in this one.
And last, but not least, here’s something for those preferring to get lost in the pages
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
This haunting story follows a lesbian couple whose relationship becomes strained after one of them returns from a deep-sea dive gone wrong. It’s much more psychological than scary. It utilises the genre to explore themes of grief and identity.
We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
This one started as a serialised short story on Reddit, where it won the Scariest Story of 2021 Award on the NoSleep forum. Out of all these book recommendations, this is the only one I’d advise not to read before bed if you’re a fan of a good night’s sleep. The story follows a lesbian couple who move into a new home. The fast-paced and very stressful story unfolds when one of the women (a notorious people pleaser) can’t seem to turn away a family who show up and ask to be let in, claiming that they used to live there.
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
I recently read this one as part of a book club. It’s very timely as it uses the genre to explore the horrors of AI and “the death of art” while also exploring the harmful Bury Your Gays trope. We follow a successful queer horror screenwriter, Misha, and his aro-ace bestie, Tara, as they find themselves in a bloody and very spooky race against the clock when monsters come after them once Misha refuses to kill off his queer leads.
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