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Volume 9, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2055-5695
  • E-ISSN: 2055-5709

Abstract

This article explores how three contemporary animated television series for young people expand the concept of figured worlds to create queer figured worlds that challenge notions of both hetero- and homonormativity. Through a textual, thematic/detailed, qualitative content analysis of these shows, we demonstrate how the worldbuilding in these series goes beyond creating sites for queer resistance to heteronormativity by creating queer figured worlds. We examine three aspects of worldbuilding – characters, conflict and culture – and how they serve to resist stereotyping and normalization to present a diversity of queer experiences and provide a framework for queer people to imagine queer futures. Queer figured worlds can allow young people to imagine social roles and life possibilities that are not presented in traditional figured worlds.

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2024-07-05
2026-04-12

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/content/journals/10.1386/qsmpc_00124_1
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  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): heteronormativity; Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts; queer representation; queer worldbuilding; She-Ra and the Princesses of Power; The Owl House; young adult cartoons

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