INTRODUCTION
Hello!
My name is Luce, and I am excited to share my presentation and research thesis, Queer Distortion: Agency, Risk, and Resistance in the Los Angeles Metal Scene, completed as part of the Lemelson Anthropological Honors Program and Undergraduate Research Scholars Program at University of California, Los Angeles.
This research explores how queer individuals within the Los Angeles metal scene navigate belonging, visibility, authenticity, and safety within a subculture that is often understood as both resistant and exclusionary. Through ethnographic fieldwork conducted across Los Angeles and Long Beach in 2025 and 2026, including participant observation at live shows, digital ethnography, and semi-structured interviews with queer metal fans and participants, this project examines the everyday practices through which people reshape the scene from within.
For this presentation, I focus on how participation itself becomes a form of negotiation and resistance. I explore the ways that queer individuals manage visibility and risk, how digital platforms function as spaces for care and community-building, and how fans actively challenge dominant ideas of authenticity, gender, and belonging within heavy metal culture.
How to use this site:
This website is designed as an interactive and multi-media experience that combines writing, audio, visuals, fieldwork, and participant perspectives. The pages are arranged to guide you through the research thematically, moving between history, theory, ethnographic experiences, and digital spaces within the metal scene.
Along the left side of the screen (on desktop computer), you will have relevant YouTube videos or music for your curiosity. If you still want more music and information (because who won't, right?) upon exploring this website, I have compiled a page called "Still Curious?" up in the navigation bar.
You are also welcome to explore the site freely by using the navigation tabs and page buttons throughout the presentation.
For the best experience, please make sure sound is enabled for embedded media and video elements.
By using multiple forms of media alongside ethnographic research, I hope this project offers a deeper understanding of queer experience, community, and resistance within contemporary metal culture.
