Creation as activism: The great diversity round table
At a time when the far right and authoritarian regimes are gaining ground, culture is one of the channels for stopping them. In the sphere of fantasy genres – both in literature and in other artistic disciplines – many authors are doing their bit. Participating in the first great diversity round table at the 42 Festival will be five guests from the LGBTQI+ community, whose works provide a normalising, non-heteronormative perspective. Josep Rodríguez Ferrer’s Espelmavers trilogy (Voliana) has done much more than create the first ‘boys love’ books in Catalan literature. Lluís J. Salart, meanwhile, includes characters who defy conventions, and in his latest novel, Nos arrulla la niebla (Literup), he reflects on the effects of a lack of meaningful romantic relationships and friendships. H. Zubieta, who specialises in including characters from minoritised communities in their books, reflects on gender identity and being non-binary in Río a contracorriente (Nube de Tinta). Albert Font’s stories are not specifically about being part of the LGBTQI+ community, but his first novel, L’hereu de la mort, features characters who break away from heteronormativity. In Titans (Chronos), the plot is driven by the protagonist’s desire for freedom from family expectations. Finally, Elsa Velasco – who was part of the main exhibition at the 2024 edition of the festival – has poured their experiences as a queer and neurodivergent person into their illustrations. The use of fantasy to make a stand, to speak out about abuse and to normalise diversity will be at the heart of this round table, led by the assistant curator of 42, Karen Madrid.
