Abstract

The overarching motivation of After and Before centers on a deeply ingrained desire for a candid, authentic and occasionally humorous portrayal of queer identities—particularly within a Canadian context—and to explore themes and subjects that are, in the opinion of the writer, not readily addressed within the sphere of contemporary queer literature. These subjects include domestic and sexual violence, the construction of body image, the experience of aging as a queer individual, loneliness and grief, and the influence of heteronormative values within the LGBTQ+ community. The cross-generational approach to this collection seeks to highlight the abiding systemic prejudices aimed against queer individuals within a variety of narrative styles. Thus, an interconnected thematic arc exists between all the stories featured within this anthology. From the 1980s of “Salmon Son” to the bleak near-future of “Rhetoric,” After and Before highlights the all too frequently circular nature of oppression and otherization within our society.