Queer Horror, Wicked Witches, and Why We Need Monsters

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In this episode of Horror Heals, Corey sits down with Heather, the force behind Queer for Fear. Part One of this two-parter dives deep into the queer relationship with horror, the villains we secretly love, and how the genre became a lifeline for outsiders looking for a mirror in pop culture.

Heather shares her personal journey of grief and discovery, from the death of her brother to finding both healing and community through horror. We talk about growing up as queer Gen X kids obsessed with VHS covers, discovering horror through films like Fright Night and Nightmare on Elm Street 2, and why the Wicked Witch of the West may be one of the greatest queer icons of all time (sorry Dorothy, but stealing shoes off a corpse is a bad look).

This conversation is funny, heartfelt, and full of chills—the perfect reminder that horror isn’t just about monsters on screen, it’s about survival, identity, and connection.

Queer Horror, Wicked Witches, and Why We Need Monsters

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why Heather started Queer for Fear and how horror became the center of her academic and creative work
• The Wicked Witch as a queer villain icon—and why Glinda might actually be the real monster in The Wizard of Oz
• The healing power of horror as a trauma processor
• The messy joy of growing up in the 80s horror aisle, when VHS covers were pure nightmare fuel
• Reclaiming films once mocked (Nightmare on Elm Street 2, Fright Night) as part of queer horror canon
• How horror conventions evolved from “black-shirt bros” to radically inclusive spaces

Why You Should Listen:

If you’ve ever felt like the weirdo in the room, this episode will feel like home. Heather’s insights are sharp, hilarious, and deeply moving—a reminder that horror heals not just through screams, but through belonging.

Links & Resources:

• Follow Heather on Instagram: @queerforfear
• Check out Heather’s book: Queer for Fear: Horror Film and the Queer Spectator

Thank you for listening to Horror Heals.

Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.

If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.

You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.

Horror Heals is produced by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage LLC.

Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.