We Need More Diversity in Children's Horror
Pause for a moment and ask yourself this question:
Can you name a children’s horror film that features diverse characters as the leads instead of just the sidekick? Or if there is a diverse lead, the rest of the cast is not made up of just white characters?
And remember that I asked specifically for children. Films made and marketed towards children.
Not adult.
Not teen.
Specifically for children.
When I did a quick Google search, I found two diverse horror films that were created for children and families: Eddie Murphy’s The Haunted Mansion and The Chanting Revisited (Kuntilanak), a family horror film from Indonesia.
I would tentatively include the recent animated version of The Addams Family, which features the voice of Oscar Isaac. I say tentatively since the majority of the main cast is white. Recent animated Disney films such as The Princess and the Frog, Moana, and Coco could be considered but because those films focus primarily on the fantasy genre with horror elements mixed in, I’m hesitant to include them in the answer to my question. The same could be said with the various Studio Ghibli films.
It: Part One could be considered a teen film with a younger teen perspective but it’s still a film based on an adult novel, was rated R, and it features only one diverse character member with the rest of the cast being white. Horror films made by Mexican filmmakers Issa López (Tigers Are Not Afraid), and Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, and The Devil’s Backbone), do feature children as the lead characters but I would argue that those beautiful films would be better suited for older children, upper middle grade and teen, instead of preschool and early elementary aged children. Wes Craven’s The People Under the Stairs is another film in which a child is in the lead but as it’s rated R, it was not really created for children.
When I ask this question in relation to television programs, there is some expansion. The Animorphs television adaptation of the popular book series is more science fiction but does have strong horrific elements. The series featured diverse characters and lasted two seasons in the late 90s. Are You Afraid of the Dark?, both the original 90s series and the recently updated version, also features diverse characters. Stranger Things does feature diverse characters, but again, the cast is still primarily white.
As we move to printed materials, specifically with books and graphic novels. The results expand further. The problem is that compared to the vast amount of children’s books being published each year, a small fraction of those titles are horror. Once you separate the diverse stories, that number is even lower. To put in context, let’s say in 2019 over 500 middle grade books were published. About 50 or less of those titles were categorized specifically as horror - not fantasy with horror elements but straight out horror, or spooky. Out of that 50, an average of 3 or 4 titles would either feature a BIPOC character or were written by a BIPOC author. Granted, this is more of an observational assessment, instead of pure science. Either way, while those numbers are still looking better than what’s being presented in films and television, they could be higher.
If you’re like me, you’re probably racking your brain, thinking of any title, anything that could answer that simple question. And if you’re like me, you're probably frustrated with the answer. It’s time we start addressing that there really isn’t a large selection of diversity in horror for children.
Sadly, I’m not in a position to facilitate real change in publishing and in the entertainment industry. As a children’s services librarian, I can cultivate a diverse collection of books and films for my youthful patrons. I can suggest titles to children, teens, and their parents and highlight diverse titles in booklists and displays. I can also highlight diverse titles outside of various heritage months and promote diversity to my community all year round.
What I can also do is advocate for diverse horror. I love how horror, within the adult and teen categories, is expanding beyond white-centric stories. I love how there is more horror media with BIPOC characters and creators. I love how queer horror is growing and how we are constantly reexaming horror media in academic discussions. We are having frank conversations about boundaries and trauma, while also amplifying marginalized voices. There is still A LOT of work to accomplish but the foundational pieces are being formed and it’s exciting to watch. We just can’t forget diverse children’s and teen horror when we are building this foundation.
Children and teens love horror. They love spooky stories and creepy tales that demand to be read under the covers with a flashlight in the middle of the night. Horror is how children and teens can explore their identity, their emotions, and their boundaries. Diverse horror allows children and teens to explore outside of their world view and opens up their minds to honor and hear marginalized voices.
If we truly want inclusion in horror, we must demand it for all ages. It’s time to demand more diverse horror for children and teens.
If you know of a diverse horror film or television program for children or teens that I missed, please share with the world. Let’s start the conversation so we can be better advocates for diversity in media and publishing.
___________________________________________________________________________
To explore diversity in horror in fiction, check out this list.