My name is Alice Collins and I am a queer transgender woman living in the United States. If you’ve been reading the news, or have seen the reason this year’s Gayly Helpful is being donated to the organization that it is, you can get an idea of where it’s going. To be plain, it fucking sucks to be a transgender person in not only the United States but basically in nearly every country on this planet, some are better than others but it’s still a struggle. Our families kick us out, traumatize us more than we even realized they could, society then adds to the trauma. Transphobic doctors refuse care to you. If you’re trans, you will never stop fighting for basic human decency and rights.

I’ve had so much on my mind lately and I keep coming back to one thought. I could, as a trans person, take a plane from the US to a country like The Netherlands and by the time I land and walk off the plane I would literally gain human rights that I do not have in the United States. That’s wrong on so many levels. I pulled a few stats from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)’s 2021 State Equality Index. As of this writing there are only 23 states with non-discrimination laws regarding employment if you are trans. Only 23 states have non-discrimination laws regarding housing if you are trans. Only 21 states have non-discrimination laws regarding access to Public Accommodations such as homeless shelters. Only 18 states have non-discrimination laws protecting education for transgender individuals. Only 20 states have non-discrimination laws regarding the credit system and the ability to participate in it. Finally only 10 states have laws regarding non-discrimination and Jury Selection when you are transgender.

Based on these numbers that means over half of the country have no laws protecting against discrimination and hate crimes against transgender individuals. This especially affects trans women of color more than any other. This year has been the most disastrous, since the first three months of 2022 about 240 bills were submitted to the house and senate to take away our rights. Not only those of trans people, but queer people in general. Compare this to 2018 when there were 41 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills being considered throughout one year! That’s 6x the hatred! You wonder, will things ever get better? That’s a tough question.

As I’m writing this, the Supreme Court is in the process of repealing Roe v Wade, that puts pretty much every piece of civil rights won after it in danger. The court argument that underlies Roe v Wade is a right to privacy, this right to privacy was what was cited in many laws that afforded people rights. With that right to privacy stricken down it sets a precedent where one could repeal rights we’ve taken for granted. To give a few examples, the repeal of Roe v Wade puts into jeopardy Lawrence v Texas which involves guaranteed sexual privacy within ones home. Another is Obergefell v Hodges which affords equal protection for every marriage legalizing gay marriage across the nation. There’s even Griswold v Connecticut which prevents the government from restricting condoms to married people. Condoms! One more horrific example is Loving v Virginia which threw out laws banning interracial marriage.

The United States is being outright hostile to women and putting into jeopardy anyone who isn’t cisgender, heterosexual, and white. Voting isn’t enough. People need to keep protesting, people need to keep fighting, or we will lose everything. I really don’t know what else to say. I want to say it’s going to get better but to be honest, I’m scared. The government does not care about anything but the status quo. We as queer people and especially queer horror fans are anything but the status quo.

I had wanted this article to challenge all of this negativity and hatred, but it would have felt disingenuous to only say this is going to get better. I want to say that there is no need to worry while ignoring the very real fact that our rights are at stake. I fear that we’ll soon see laws again saying that you have to wear a certain number of garments that match your assigned gender or be arrested. This is the same type of law that led the police to raid Stonewall, and the beginning of the push for equal rights for queers in the US.

With all these setbacks I wouldn’t lose all hope.

Human history will always trend towards the progressive. Even with setbacks, there will be wins, eventually. There’s going to be a lot of fighting and a lot of emotional fatigue. We are going to need to use horror movies to cope. They provide an escape from this hell. These films (while not all will have perfect representation) will be able to give some catharsis and respite from the upcoming horrors inflicted upon us by society. Psychologically it will help with seeing characters we can relate to survive and thrive. Sometimes you’ll need a good revenge queer killer too because a lot of anger is gonna need to be processed.

Here is a list of quality queer horror that I recommend to help you keep a level head and maybe bring you some catharsis, feel seen, or simply distract you:

Interview with the Vampire - 1994 - It’s always fun watching the gay vampire Dads with their eternally young daughter.

Knife+Heart - 2018 - A gay giallo about porn can be exactly what you need on one of those tough days!

Jennifer’s Body - 2009 - This one is for the bisexuals out there. This movie is a fantastic breakdown of the toxic masculinity that is American high school.

Fear Street Trilogy - 2021 - All the usual queer tropes are turned on their head in this trilogy and is one of the best and most satisfying examples of queer people surviving and thriving. Be gay, do crime. If you’re already illegal by existing, then what’s one more thing?

The Hunger - 1983 - Another one for the bisexuals out there. David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, and Catherine DeNeuve are all wonderful in their respective roles. There are very few queer vampire movies this overtly erotic.

All Cheerleaders Die - 2013 - Chronicles some of the struggles of being queer in high school and then dying on top of that.

Seed of Chucky - 2004 - Glen/Glenda is one of my favorite killers. Another one like Sleepaway Camp where you just need to see a transwoman get some revenge on society.

Chucky Season 01 - 2021 - Basically everyone is queer and it’s one of the best depictions of young queer love I’ve seen. Very sweet and still brutal.

Dracula’s Daughter - 1936 - Before the Hays Code we were given this thinly veiled lesbian vampire wishing to quell her desires, unable to accept herself. Definitely a sentiment I’m certain that is not very unfamiliar to most queer individuals.

The Haunting of Hill House Series - 2018 - Do you wanna see a queer woman not die? This is the show for you!

So Vam - 2021 - With themes of found family and queer actors playing queer characters makes this a very refreshing and wonderful film you as a trans woman can finally feel fully seen in.

Sleepaway Camp - 1983 - The catharsis you can get from this seeing a trans girl take revenge upon her abusers is beyond satisfying.

With these films I hope you can find something you haven’t seen yet, and maybe give these flicks another watch if you’ve seen them already. Horror can help us all weather the storm. I guarantee you I’m gonna be watching as much queer horror as I can get my hands on, this world is more horrific than the movies ever will be.