Pride Month Interviews: Meet Taylor Z. Adams

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you contribute to the horror genre.

Hey! My name's Taylor Z. Adams (she/they) and I'm a transbian horror author hailing from Toledo, OH! I've primarily found my footing in the splatterpunk subgenre, but above all else, I write things that are weird and aggressively queer.  

What drew you to the horror genre?

Horror is something that I've been around my entire life, so there's always been a natural draw to it. My dad used to be on the crew for a lot of low-budget B-movie slashers, my mom is a huge zombie buff, and my older sibling had a big collection of Goosebumps books that I used to steal growing up. I've loved horror for as long as I can remember; I pretty much had no other choice! 

If you could recommend one creation of horror that everyone should consume that is queer or queer coded, whether that be a book, podcast, movie, art, etc., what would you recommend?

Narrowing it down to one choice is brutal. It's a toss up for me between the film I Saw The TV Glow and the book Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite. Both had profound impacts on me as a trans person, with Exquisite Corpse in particular being the reason I decided to become a writer. 

What positive changes have you seen happening in the horror community regarding LGBTQIA+ creators and content and what are some areas the community can still improve?

In recent years, I've noticed a lot more people are willing to listen to queer voices, and the voices of other marginalized groups in general. It feels like there's less of a divide between "normal" horror and "queer" horror, made by queer people. More cisgender and heterosexual people have checked out my work and raved about it than I ever anticipated, which I'm super grateful for!

However, I do still feel that people like to unintentionally "other" us. While I think a lot of people's hearts are in the right place, I see a lot of lists like "trans authors you should check out", and then a list of "women authors you should check out" a few weeks later, and very rarely are trans women included in that list. To be a bit silly, it sometimes feels like "there's male authors, there's female authors, and then there's the gays," which is something I feel the community as a whole can be better about.

What advice would you give to the next generation of queer horror content creators coming into the horror genre?

Be bold. Times are tough right now for the LGBTQ+ community, and it's more important than ever to speak out and be visible. The world is actively trying to silence us, so don't let them. Your story deserves to be told, and your voice deserves to be heard.

Where can folks find you these days?

You can primarily find me on FaceBook! Just look up Taylor Z. Adams and add me as a friend, if you'd like. Or follow me on Instagram @tayloradamsbooks!
  
Bio:
Taylor Z. Adams (she/they) writes horror that's strange, gay, and emotionally unwell. Their work explores the queer experience, grief, obsession, identity, trauma—or anything else that might be considered upsetting.

When not writing about emotionally unhinged girls, Taylor can be found drinking too much coffee, blushing over sapphic romances, moshing at hardcore punk shows, or posting cryptic nonsense on social media.

If you enjoy their work, light a candle and perform a blood ritual as an offering ... or just follow her on social media: @tayloradamsbooks