Masculinity and Trauma Recovery in Genre Fiction

Saturday 2:00PM Isle Royale

Science Fiction and Fantasy are full of tough manly heroes (and anti-heroes) with trauma in their backgrounds, from murdered families to witnessed war crimes. More often than not, these traumatic backstories serve as a justification for sarcasm, alcohol, and violence. In a world where men are significantly less likely to get professional help to heal from their trauma, how can science fiction and fantasy help to create positive examples of heroes who face their demons constructively?

Brandon O'Brien (m), Adam R. Shannon, dave ring, John Wiswell, R.B. Lemberg