Vampires, Desire & the Queer Imagination

Explore the hidden queer history of vampire mythology, from folklore to modern pop culture. Followed by Q&A.

Why has the vampire, more than almost any other monster, become such a powerful queer icon?

From the earliest folklore to the gothic literature that shaped the genre, vampires have long embodied themes of forbidden desire, transformation and otherness – themes that resonate deeply with queer experience. In this talk, we’ll explore the history and legacy of the queer vampire: from the reactionary to the revolutionary.

Touching on texts from John Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819) and its depiction of Lord Byron as a sinful monster, to Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla (1872) and its sapphic legacy all the way to Tony Scott’s The Hunger (1983) and Marceline the Vampire Queen from Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, this talk will trace the queerness of vampires and what it tells us about fear, desire and sexuality.