When a franchise has existed for a whopping 50 years, it will often transcend the opinions of those who will dismiss it as purely "fluff" entertainment, and be embraced and studied by the academic community as a serious piece of cultural art. Doctor Who is, of course, no exception.

In the new essay anthology Queers Dig Time Lords, editors Sigrid Ellis and Michael Damian Thomas have culled together a series of essays that analyze the adventures of our favorite Time Lord from a LGBT critical perspective. In addition to an introduction by John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman, contributors to the anthology include Tanya Huff (Blood Ties), Paul Magrs (Hornet's Nest), former Doctor Who and Torchwood script editor Gary Russell, and Nebula Award-winning author Rachel Swirsky. The essays cover a wide range of topics, from personal experiences with the series, to coming out stories, to critical analysis of the series from an academic perspective. Rachel Swirsky's piece is an especially touching story about her own personal "Doctor," which can be read here.
The 2005 reboot of Doctor Who has often been praised for its positive portrayal of gay and lesbian characters, but the gay culture has embraced Doctor Who long before Captain Jack planted one on the Doctor in The Parting of the Ways. As Michael Damian Thomas explains in his foreword to the anthology, during the mid-90's hiatus of the series: "people who identified as LGBT were everywhere...many joked at the time that gayness was prerequisite for becoming a prominent fan."

Regardless of sexual orientation, the book highlights the common threads that pull fans of all walks of life together: love of sci-fi, adventure, and a mysterious traveler in a blue box.

Queers Dig Time Lords is available now on Amazon as an e-book, as well as a paperback.

Source