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oa Broadcasting LGBTQ+ Stories in Fiction Podcasting
- Amsterdam University Press
- Source: Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies, Volume 26, Issue 3/4, Dec 2023, p. 335 - 353
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- 01 Dec 2023
Abstract
This paper will look at the influence of digital media platforms and the aural storytelling medium on the inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation in independent audio fiction podcasts. It has been argued that independent fiction podcasting is a unique place for LGBTQ+ content in the current media landscape. This paper aims to investigate what affordances independent fiction podcasts have to aid this inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation. When it comes to production and dissemination, this paper will argue that the independence afforded by low production costs, ease of dissemination, and ample participatory culture are the main factors that facilitate the inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation in independent audio fiction podcasts. When it comes to the influence of the fiction podcast as an aural medium, the ‘invisibility’ of audio and the importance of voice are the main factors that influence the ease of including LGBTQ+ representation because this invisibility can aid in disrupting heteronormative and cisnormative ideas. This paper will aim to do this through a literature review and original analyses, aided by case studies of popular independent fiction podcasts such as Welcome to Night Vale, The Adventure Zone, The Penumbra Podcast and The Magnus Archives.