Challenging an ‘Imagined Community’: Discussions (or lack thereof) of black and queer experiences within heavy metal culture

This article presents a discussion on how heavy metal’s foundational philosophy of inclusivity reproduces normative and ‘mainstream’ discourses that are oppressive to participants. Black and queer fans are the focus of this article as they face more overt and covert discrimination than other marginalized groups participating in localized heavy metal scenes. By using a recent example of the ramifications of speaking out about racism, this article will provide a brief overview on how racist and homophobic language by fans and musicians is not only a deterrent to active participation, but also a hindrance to the industry as a whole that places an emphasis on active fan participation for economic viability in an industry in which heavy metal record labels are not financially successful as other genre-specific record labels.