Queering Mayberry An Exploration of Sexuality and Gender in the Andy Griffith Show

<p><i>Queering Mayberry: An Exploration of Sexuality and Gender in the Andy Griffith Show</i> is an interdisciplinary study which reexamines <i>The Andy Griffith Show</i> through the frame of queer theory, offering a fresh perspective on its cultural significance in the Southern Appalachians.</p><p>Amid current debates on Critical Race Theory and LGBTQIA+ rights, the nostalgic pull of the “Myth of Mayberry” remains potent. This work critiques the restorative nostalgia surrounding small-town southern ideals, arguing that disrupting the monolithic image of southern conservative, Christian, cisgender identity requires a critical look at the cultural artifacts that helped shape it. Through a combination of historical research, including original episode scripts with Andy Griffith''s notes, cultural studies, and performance theory, it uncovers a complex relationship between queerness and Southern Appalachian identity.</p><p><i>Queering Mayberry: An Exploration of Sexuality and Gender</i> will be valuable to scholars and students in Appalachian studies, media studies, queer theory, and social history.</p>