Gaylactic Network
Encyclopedia
The Gaylactic Network is the national gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, bisexual, transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
and friends science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
, comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
and gaming
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
organization, consisting of several affiliate chapters throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
They are the overseeing organization for Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon is an annual science fiction, fantasy and horror convention that focuses on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender topics. It takes place in various locations in the United States and occasionally Canada, often on the east coast....
, the annual LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
sci-fi convention, held in various cities. They also originated the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBT topics in a positive way. Established in 1998, the awards were initially presented by the Gaylactic Network, with awards first awarded in 1999. In 2002 the awards were given their own...
, given annually for outstanding LGBT content in sci-fi, fantasy and horror genre publications.
The Network is registered as a non-profit organisation.
Organizational records for the period 1986-2005 (bulk 1987-1991) are held by Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, and other universities mention it as a course resource
Purpose
The Gaylactic Network state on their website that their goals includes:- The promotion of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, and other related genres, across all media, with particular attention to works of interest to LGBT people.
- To provide forums for LGBT people and their friends to share their interest in SF/F/H.
- Highlighting the presence of LGBT elements within SF/F/H and within fandom.
- Generarating interest in SF/F/H within the LGBT communities.
This is done via their affiliate chapters on a local scale, and nationally with the organisation of Gaylaxicon and (in the past) the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards and by onine activities such as E-mail lists.
History and Affiliates
The Network began in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts after the first Gaylaxicon. The organization changed from an affiliate-based membership structure to an individual-based membership structure in 2000. The Board consists of a Speaker, Listener, Treasurer, Secretary, and four Board Members.The Gaylaxian Science Fiction Society (GSFS) is the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
-based chapter of the Network, which organized the original convention and continues to be a driving force behind many of the Gaylaxicons. The Network is also registered as a non-profit organisation.
Brown university
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
maintains archives of the organisations old records, and other universities mentions it as a course resource
Since 1986, the Network has had up to 12 affiliate clubs. The affiliates are locally oriented, regionally based, autonomous clubs with their own leadership and membership. As of 2008, there are 9 affiliate chapters:
- Gaylactic Outpost Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
- Gaylactic Toronto Alliance, Toronto, ONT
- Golden Gate Gaylaxians, San Francisco, CA
- Lambda Sci-Fi: DC Area Gaylaxians, Washington, DC
- Niagara Falls Gaylactic Colonizers, Niagara Falls, NY
- North Country Gaylaxians, Minneapolis, MN
- Planet LAmbda, Los Angeles, CA
- San Diego Queer Sci-Fi: The San Diego Gaylaxians, San Diego, CA
There have been past affiliates in cities such as Philadelphia, but they have since folded or given up their affiliate status. Several organizations, including ones outside of North America, are considered "friends of the Network."
Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon is an annual convention held in the United States, often on the East Coast. The focus of the convention is science fiction, fantasy, and horror for "gay men, lesbians, transgendered people and their friends."The first Gaylaxicon was held in 1998 in Massachusetts; the most recent was in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2009, and the next will be in Atlanta, Georgia in 2011. Attendance at the convention has varied from 90 attendees in its first year to almost 400 people in later years. Each year one or more Guests of Honour is invited, in most years this includes a science fiction author and an artist.
In addition to being the usual venue for the presentation of the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards, in the past the James Tiptree, Jr. Award
James Tiptree, Jr. Award
The James Tiptree, Jr. Award is an annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February of 1991 by science fiction authors Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler, subsequent to a discussion at WisCon.- Background...
has been given out at Gaylaxicon.
Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
The Gaylactic Spectrum AwardsGaylactic Spectrum Awards
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBT topics in a positive way. Established in 1998, the awards were initially presented by the Gaylactic Network, with awards first awarded in 1999. In 2002 the awards were given their own...
are given to works of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
which explore LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
(gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, bisexual or transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
) topics in a positive way. They were founded in 1998, first presented by the Gaylactic Network in 1999, and in 2002 they were given their own organization, the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Foundation.
Each award currently consists of an etched image on lucite on a stand, using a spiral galaxy in a triangle logo, based on the logo the Gaylactic Network. The award winner's name, work title, award year and award category are etched on a small plaque on the base or on the plexiglass itself. A small cash stipend is also awarded to winners in the Best Novel and Short Fiction categories. The cost of the awards is met through individual donations and fundraising events.
Since their inception, awards have been given in categories for novels and best other work. Other categories have also been added and removed in intervening years, including categories for short fiction (since the second year) and comic books for one year. The award for best novel is the only one to have been handed out every year since the awards began. The categories are open to submission of works released during the prior calendar year in North America that includes "significant positive GLBT content". Works produced prior to the inception of the awards are eligible to be inducted into the "Hall of Fame". The results are decided by a panel of judges from the list of submitted nominees; the long list of nominees is reduced to a short list of finalists, and the results are generally announced and presented at Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon is an annual science fiction, fantasy and horror convention that focuses on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender topics. It takes place in various locations in the United States and occasionally Canada, often on the east coast....
.