Queer and Hopeful: Gamemaking as Resistance
Playing a game is a participatory act, one in which we might take control of a protagonist and see the world through them. This relationship of embodiment between player and protagonist is a powerful tool for empathy and empowerment; as artists we ask others into ourselves to experience as we do and as players we see the world in a new way. This is an incredibly powerful tool for healing, dreaming, and imaging a world where we see ourselves safe and loved.
The history of gamemaking is incredibly queer; despite all efforts of some to push the medium to only be viewed in the commercial, violent, and narrow space of “for white boys,” 2SLGBTQI+ and queer artists continue to revolutionize the medium. With tools becoming more and more accessible over the past decade queer game makers have continued a tradition of resistance in creating and sharing hope. Perhaps summed up best by Anna Anthropy’s 2012 book title “Rise of the Videogame Zinesters: How Freaks, Normals, Amateurs, Artists, Dreamers, Drop-outs, Queers, Housewives, and People Like You Are Taking Back an Art Form,” games are a beautiful way to connect with others no matter where they are in the world through hostings such as itch.io.
This panel explores the moments of hope, healing, and imagining of artists making games. Featuring games made by the panelists, Queer and Hopeful will discuss the ways in which games can heal the artists who make them and those who play them.
Games for download:
He Fucked The Girl Out Of Me by Taylor McCue
ValiDate: Struggling Singles In Your Area by Dani Lalonders
**TQFF is offering free access to ValiDate. To receive an access key, please email industry@torontoqueerfilmfest.com.
This event is an online webinar. To attend, please log into your TQFF account and return to this page when the event is live. No other registration is required.
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