PLAY PODCASTS
Queer Joy in Scary Movies? The Truth About Horror & LGBTQ Youth
Season 2 · Episode 207

Queer Joy in Scary Movies? The Truth About Horror & LGBTQ Youth

More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parents & Allies of LGBTQ Teens · Heather Hester | Advocate for Parents of LGBTQ Teens

October 21, 202514m 49s

Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (pscrb.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.

Show Notes

What if the monster your child identifies with…isn’t a threat, but a symbol of courage, survival, and truth?

For many LGBTQ+ teens, horror films offer more than scares; they offer safety, self-expression, and even joy. While many parents associate horror with violence and fear, queer youth see something radically different: empowerment, visibility, and a chance to survive in a world that often misunderstands them. This episode dives into the coded history of queerness in horror, how today’s youth are reclaiming it, and what it reveals about the emotional worlds of LGBTQ+ kids.

  1. Discover how horror has historically coded queerness and why it still matters today
  2. Learn how to connect with your LGBTQ+ child through their media interests (even scary ones!)
  3. Gain tools, questions, and recommended films to reframe fear as a source of empathy and resilience

Press play to discover why horror isn’t just about fear. It’s about survival, strength, and learning how to love your LGBTQ+ child even more deeply through what lights them up.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan!

Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month

Invite me to speak at your workshop or event

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!

Connect [email protected]

Buy Me A Coffee

Watch on YouTube

Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy