What is Hopepunk? | Loving Resistance and Belief in a Better Future
If Stet Studio had a tagline it would be “creating art that celebrates queer and trans folks, all with hopepunk themes”. In fact, the banner that I display at events says pretty much just that! Over the years I’ve noticed a pattern… When I’m vending at markets and other in-person events passers-by and fellow vendors tend to ask what ‘hopepunk’ means. I thought it was time to explain what hopepunk is, and how I incorporate it into my artwork and Stet Studio. (This decision was not at all influenced by the state of the world or American politics…)
Where did Hopepunk come from?
Hopepunk is a literary subgenre. Mara Franzen both explains its origins very succinctly, saying “Coined by author Alexandra Rowland in 2017, the term hopepunk was created to be the anthesis [sic] of the grimdark genre…. By 2019 the phrase was canonized by the Collins English Dictionary, and has been used in publishing since. The hopepunk sub-genre exists in both the fantasy and science fiction genres…” (2023) This rebellion against nihilism and hopelessness is exactly what drew me to hopepunk in the first place.
What is Hopepunk?
Hopepunk is often conflated with toxic positivity, which is understandable. Toxic positivity is a term that comes from the mental health world, and is defined as a phenomenon that “occurs when encouraging statements are expected to minimize or eliminate painful emotions, creating pressure to be unrealistically optimistic without considering the circumstances of the situation” (Reynolds, 2022).
Hopepunk, in my mind, allows space for despair and sadness, and understanding that the world is kind of shit right now. It doesn’t (or shouldn’t) ignore systemic inequality or fascism. Instead, it says, look what little joys still exist here and now. Another interpretation describes it as “At its core, hopepunk is just about leaving the reader with hope for the future. Bad things can happen along the way, but they aren’t bad forever. Everything will turn out alright in the end! (Franzen, 2023)”
Hopepunk has, in its short existence so far, expanded past the literary world, and “depending on who you ask, hopepunk is as much a mood and a spirit as a definable literary movement, a narrative message of ‘keep fighting, no matter what.’ … consider the concept of hope itself, with all the implications of love, kindness, and faith in humanity it encompasses” (Romano, 2018). This furthering of hopepunk shows just how much people needed a concept, a term that they could rally around as they tried to fight for a better future.
We’ve focused mostly on the first part of the word; the ’hope’ but now it’s time to talk about the punk. Imagine embodying hopepunk “not as a brightly optimistic state of being, but as an active political choice, made with full self-awareness that things might be bleak or even frankly hopeless, but you’re going to keep hoping, loving, being kind nonetheless” (Romano, 2018). That active choice to continue loving is important in how I define and find meaning in hopepunk.
I try to make as many of my choices in a space of love as possible. Not loving the people that are persecuting me, but out of love for those I care about. “Through this framing, the idea of choosing hope becomes both an existential act that affirms your humanity, and a form of resistance against cynical worldviews that dismiss hope as a powerful force for change” (Romano, 2018).
Hopepunk is a newer term and one that is nebulous, and I think that’s a good thing. I don’t think something that is about rebellion and creating a force for change needs to be, or would even do well in a strict box labeling it and pinning it down. Just like hope, it needs room to grow.
How it relates to Stet Studio and my Art
I have spent a lot of time since I first started Stet Studio in April of 2020 being scared, anxious, and angry. You name it, I’ve felt it. And I know I’m not alone. So much of the Trans and Queer experience is framed as being negative. Dysphoria, hate crimes, being disowned or abandoned after coming out, inability to access gender-affirming care, distrust, and general trans and homophobia, all are considered to be a major part of ‘being trans’ or ‘being queer’, not to mention any other bigotry or prejudice associated with any other minority identities any one LGBT+ individual may belong to.
With all this, very understandable, stress and fear associated with being LGBT+, I wanted to create art and write stories that facilitated queer joy and fostered acceptance. The goal of Stet Studio is to make being LGBT+ seem normal to those who aren’t. I want cisgender and heterosexual folks to know that many of us find joy in our identities and for us to celebrate that joy, and I think that’s pretty hopepunk of me.
Hopepunk Books you Might Like
I actually hit publish without sharing any of the Hopepunk books I have read and enjoyed. With Hopepunk being initally a literary subgenre, I had to rectify that! So, here are a handful of recommendations of hopepunk books and series to try.
The Mirror Empire* by Kameron Hurley is the first book in a three-part parallel universe fantasy apocalypse series that starts out very Grimdark and progresses toward Hopepunk as the narrative goes on. CWs: All of them. Basically, if you can think of something triggering and awful that could happen to a person it probably happens in this series
Moon of the Crusted Snow* by Waubeshig Rice is a horror novel about the collapse of modern society and the survival of a small Anishinaabe community in the far north. There is lots of tension and hopepunk threads are woven throughout. CWs: Hunger/starvation, Gun fanatic, Mythic Creatures that start with W, Cannibalism
Sisters of the Vast Black* by Lina Rather is about a spaceship full of futuristic nuns, and standing up against authoritarianism. CW: Authoritarianism & Fascism on the rise
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars* by Christopher Paolini is about the first contact between humans and an Alien species, and the woman who helps to bridge that gap. CW: Torture, human/machine meld, martyrdom, starvation, war-related violence
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet* By Becky Chambers is the start of a four-book series that’s a far-future space saga that’s mostly fluffy while still tackling bigger topics. CW: Childhood Trauma, massive depressurization, starvation/hunger, death, ai death
Any hyperlinks followed with an asterisk (*) indicate they are affiliate links. If you purchase something from this link, I receive a small commission from the site. It will not change the price of the product for you.
Bibliography
Franzen, M. (2023, December 19). What are Hopepunk books, and where should I get started?. BOOK RIOT. https://bookriot.com/what-are-hopepunk-books-and-where-should-i-get-started/
Romano, A. (2018, December 27). Hopepunk, the latest storytelling trend, is all about weaponized optimism. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2018/12/27/18137571/what-is-hopepunk-noblebright-grimdark
Toxic positivity. Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. (2022, September 23). https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/toxic-positivity