‘The short answer is just that they’re fun’: recreational fear and queer joy in haunted attractions

Drawing on 24 interviews analysed through constructivist grounded theory, this study explores how queer individuals engage with recreational fear – the mix of fear and fun – to process emotion, connect with others, and build resilience. Participants sampled from a small haunted house in the Southeastern United States described these spaces where fear was not only expected but chosen, creating opportunities for emotional regulation, community bonding, embodied presence, and psychological restoration. Findings generate a grounded theory of queer emotional reclamation consisting of six interconnected processes – choosing fear, experiencing it, feeling present, bonding through it, learning from it, and reframing it as reparative. Contrary to dominant narratives that frame queer existence solely through trauma, findings show that fear can be a source of joy, catharsis, and empowerment. Findings extend queer psychological frameworks by showing how haunted attractions foster resilience, agency, and emotional self-determination in ways that are community-based and culturally resonant.