"Warrior Monks, Sentient Robots, and Plant People:
Abstract
Australian speculative fiction abounds with queer-identifying writers, queer protagonists, and queer minor characters, but so far, critical attention to this kind of literature has been small. This article highlights the inherent suitability of speculative fiction for telling queer narratives and provides a tentative overview of Australian queer speculative fiction published in the 21st century. The developments are traced through analytical spotlights on key texts published since the early 2000s, starting with the queerness of side characters in Australian fantasy novels in publications by Trudi Canavan and Lian Hearn. The article subsequently covers increasingly prevalent representations of gay and lesbian romance in speculative fiction, focusing especially on C.S. Pacat’s Captive Prince series against the background of the author’s own identification as genderqueer. A more recent trend is noted, namely the discussion of non-normative gender identities and expressions in speculative fiction. Shelley Parker-Chan’s ‘She Who Became the Sun’ serves as a final example for a very recent case of genderqueer fantasy that has been commercially successful and award-winning. All in all, the article seeks to provide an extensive but not exhaustive overview of queer Australian speculative fiction, showcasing the vibrancy of the genre in the 21st century.