Gender-identity and sexuality in current sub-genres of British fantasy literature: do we have a problem?

The article/chapter considers why authors of fantasy, in trying to introduce more diverse representation into their work or to break away from the conventions of the genre, find themselves variously accused of racism, homophobia, misogyny and cultural appropriation. The article identifies how the 'epic fantasy' of the 1980s and 1990s was implicitly 'white and patriarchal', and how that sub-genre did so much to define and dominate the genre. Subsequent, inheriting sub-genres of fantasy - 'urban fantasy', 'dark fantasy', 'metaphysical fantasy' and 'grimdark fantasy', to name but a few - have had to work through, within and around the framework of the 'white and patriarchal' fantasy narrative in order to discover their own voices and representation. However, the article provides evidence that these later sub-genres have only succeeded up to a certain point.

The book was the Winner of the BFS Awards 2018