The fellowship of the ring – Web – Digital Queeries – Brief Article
Eric Mueller
If all the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter hype has you jonesing for some sci-fi or fantasy with a gay flavor, the Web can help you find it.
One of the ways gay and lesbian fans put a same-sex twist on their favorite established characters is through fan fiction. Check out http://www.altfic.com/ for an amazing selection of lesbian fan fiction (the Xena section alone will keep you clicking, mouth agape, for hours). Fans of Japanese manga (comic books) and anime (animated science fiction or fantasy films) can find the Japanese counterpart of gay-oriented fan fiction at http://www.aestheticism.com/. There’s also the Y Files at http://www.yaoifiles.com/, a brilliantly designed site with an X Files-ish “the gay is out there” feel dedicated to reviewing anime with an eye for shounenai, romantic love between boys.
GLBT comic book fans might want to drop over to http://www.gayleague.com/ to read up on the history of gay comics and find a list of out lesbian and gay characters, past and present. The list even includes more than a dozen transgendered characters and seven “ex-gay” characters. More in-depth reviews of gay and lesbian comics and sword-and-sorcery fiction can be found at http://www.rzero.com/books/ rainbow.html.
And if you still can’t get enough gay-oriented escapism, don’t worry–there are plenty of other kindred spirits out there. Visit some of the fantastic all-gay fan sites like Faster Than Life (at http://www.qeocities.com/ fasterthanlife_2000/), a monthly magazine specifically for GLBT sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fans, or join the Great Lakes Gaylaxians (http://members.aol.com/glgay laxan/), a group of gay fantasy fans from the Midwest. Check http://www.gaylactic Network.org/clubs/for a list of clubs in 12 cities.
QUICK HITS
* Cleveland-based writer Brian Fairbanks is so out, loud, and proud that even his site’s color scheme will make your eyes ache–but it’s worth the risk to visit http://www.anqelfire. com/oh4/fagqot/.
* Chicagoans (and those planning a visit) should check out http://www.glbtevents.com/ for a directory of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender goings-on in the Windy City.
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