Author Carmen Maria Machado, speaks to Mission as to why her genre of writing horror, serves as a tool to discuss taboo subjects such as gender identity and queerness.
The words of Carmen Maria Machado, author of the bestselling memoir In the Dream House and the award-winning short story collection Her Body and Other Parties, flow parallel to her emotions, drawing readers in to learn more about her and her story. Her sexuality, identity, and sense of self are all explored through her writing, which is as diverse and unique as Machado herself. Her prose encompasses the beautiful and horrific elements of life, uncovering a rawness that is anything but ordinary. Her genre of choice? Horror.
Machado describes herself as a writer, artist, teacher, and advocate for justice. She has uncovered her identity through her writing, battling with it in the process. Growing up, Machado was encouraged to choose a career path that would offer more security than writing. “Stability always took precedence over artistry,” she recalls. Being a queer Latina woman in a predominantly white field made her pursuit all the more difficult. “[There are] a lot of forces at work,” she says, “and it’s not always clear if space will be made for BIPOC individuals.”
“Nothing comes easy, but it’s all about making sure others have it easier.”
Machado’s revolutionary works led to her being shortlisted as a finalist for the National Book Award. She currently lives in Philadelphia and is the Abrams Artist-in-Residence at the University of Pennsylvania. Machado says the “space” the fellowship provides helps her create some of her best work, giving her the time to have important conversations with herself that allow her to compose raw but relatable prose.
As a white-presenting Latina, Machado has had difficulty connecting with her culture and understanding the fine balance between her American and Latina heritage. She describes coming to terms with her identity as an “ongoing struggle.” She could speak perfect English, but still felt a disconnect at school. She couldn’t speak Spanish at home, but still wanted to feel like a part of the Latinx community. This led to her feeling “neither here nor there,” not knowing how each of her identities influenced her and her life.
In the predominantly white world of publishing, writing, and literature, Machado has challenged the status quo by using the horror genre to represent her life and experiences. “Fear and anxiety draw attention to important issues,” she says. “Fear is a valuable tool that speaks to me, cutting close to the bone and changing people’s temperatures.” Representation is not something that comes easy, and writers like Machado are the reason other up-and-coming writers are able to break into the field of writing and see it as a legitimate career option.
Machado, who identifies as queer, says that although it wasn’t much of a struggle to “come out” in her own family, there is a lack of understanding of what it means to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. With works by Machado and other queer authors going against the heteronormative ideals that most writing abides by, more people can be exposed to the queer community’s experiences.
“We can break stigma through simple conversation and discourse.”
Being comfortable with the uncomfortable is something Machado embraces in her writing. She is not afraid to touch on taboo topics and wants to open up conversations around sexuality and queerness. Machado says “these topics should be normalized” and people “shouldn’t have to hide around discussing topics that would help them find community and individuals similar to themselves.”
Machado says society has made strides in her lifetime. When she was growing up, gender norms, binary identification, and stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ and queer community were ever present. By discussing her gender identity openly, however, Machado has made conversations surrounding the topic more fluid. “Openness and willingness to be wrong don’t have to be tough, and we can break stigma through simple conversation and discourse,” she says. “As a society, we’ve created difficulties that maybe don’t have to be there.”
Regarding her work, Machado says, “Nothing comes easy, but it’s all about making sure others have it easier.” Her writing inspires discourse surrounding identity in an age when we as a society are redefining how we identify and present to the world. Readers who may not have seen their emotions, feelings, or thoughts represented in writing before can now empathize and relate to the words on a page. As a writer, Machado has no qualms about exposing reality for all to see—the good and the bad.
“It’s hard having pieces of your life out there,” says Machado. “It’s a choice you have to make, but it’s a very raw and direct one.” Her advice: “You don’t have to share everything about your life, but your experiences are exclusive to you and are valid, and once you have your life out there, it’s somewhat of a freeing experience.”
