Lambda Literary Award winners were celebrated at a star-studded ceremony last night in New York City at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
Once again, the winners of this year's Lambda Literary Awards demonstrate how LGBTQ writing is far from monolithic. Across twenty-four categories, one finds the range of queer brilliance and a whole new set of books for your to-read list.
FICTION
Lesbian Fiction
The Tiger Flu by Larissa Lai ( Arsenal Pulp Press )
Gay Fiction
Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead ( Arsenal Pulp Press )
Bisexual Fiction
Disoriental by Negar Djavadi and translated by Tina Kover ( Europa Editions )
Transgender Fiction
Little Fish by Casey Plett ( Arsenal Pulp Press )
POETRY
Lesbian Poetry
Each Tree Could Hold a Noose or a House by Ru Puro, formerly Nina Puro ( New Issues Poetry & Prose )
Gay Poetry
Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed ( Coffee House Press )
Bisexual Poetry ( *new category for the 31st Annual Lammys )
We Play a Game by Duy Doan ( Yale University Press )
Transgender Poetry
lo terciario / the tertiary by Raquel Salas Rivera ( Timeless, Infinite Light )
NONFICTION
Bisexual Nonfiction
Out of Step: A Memoir by Anthony Moll ( Mad Creek Books / The Ohio State University Press )
Transgender Nonfiction
Histories of the Transgender Child by Julian Gill-Peterson ( University of Minnesota Press )
LGBTQ Nonfiction
Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry by Imani Perry ( Beacon Press )
MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY
Lesbian Memoir/Biography
Chronology by Zahra Patterson ( Ugly Duckling Presse )
Gay Memoir/Biography
No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America by Darnell L. Moore ( Bold Type Books )
MYSTERY
Lesbian Mystery
A Study in Honor: A Novel by Claire O'Dell ( HarperCollins / HarperVoyager )
Gay Mystery
Late Fees: A Pinx Video Mystery by Marshall Thornton ( Kenmore Books )
ROMANCE
Lesbian Romance
Beowulf For Cretins: A Love Story by Ann McMan ( Bywater Books )
Gay Romance
Crashing Upwards by S.C. Wynne ( self-published )
LGBTQ
LGBTQ Anthology
As You Like It: The Gerald Kraak Anthology Volume II edited and published by The Other Foundation, Jacana Media ( FICTION )
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture edited by Roxane Gay. Published by HarperCollins / Harper Perennial ( NONFICTION )
LGBTQ Children's/Young Adult
Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender, formerly Kheryn Callender ( Scholastic / Scholastic Press )
LGBTQ Drama
Draw the Circle by Mashuq Mushtaq Deen ( Dramatists Play Service )
LGBTQ Erotica
Miles & Honesty in SCFSX! by Blue Delliquanti and Kazimir Lee ( self-published )
LGBTQ Graphic Novel
The Lie and How We Told It by Tommi Parrish ( Fantagraphics Books )
LGBTQ Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
The Breath of the Sun by Isaac R. Fellman ( Aqueduct )
LGBTQ Studies
Toxic Silence: Race, Black Gender Identity, and Addressing the Violence Against Black Transgender Women in Houston by William T. Hoston ( Peter Lang International Academic Publishers )
Along with the 25 book award winners, three special honors were also given to Alexander Chee, Masha Gessen, and Barbara Smith. Alexander Chee received Lambda's Trustee Award for his immeasurable contributions to culture as a novelist, essayist, activist, and teacher, which was presented on stage by award-winning actor Anthony Rapp. Masha Gessen received the Visionary Award for their work advancing public awareness around the global threat of totalitarianism, which was presented by HuffPost Editor-in-Chief Lydia Polgreen. Barbara Smith received the Publishing Professional Award for a lifetime of work that has profoundly shaped our collective understanding of the interconnections between race, class, and gender. Smith's award was presented by the poet, educator, and activist Cheryl Clarke.
This year's presenters also included Executive Director of the Academy of American Poets Jen Benka, artist and drag star Dusty Ray Bottoms, comic and graphic artist Jennifer Camper, author of Boy Erased Garrard Conley, writer and editor of TheBody.comKenyon Farrow, Lambda Award-winning author of Abandon Me Melissa Febos, award-winning writer and trans advocate Tyler Ford, author and cofounder of Mobile Homecoming Trust Living Library of Queer Black Brilliance,Alexis Pauline Gumbs, previous Lambda Award winner for Dyke Life Karla Jay, author Torrey Peters, voice of Linda on the Emmy-winning comedy Bob's Burgers John Roberts, award-winning poet Paul Tran, legendary film producer ( Poison, Boys Don't Cry, Mildred Pierce ) Christine Vachon, and Executive Editor of Out Magazine Raquel Willis. This year's host was the acclaimed performer and Lammy award-winning author Mx. Justin Vivian Bond.
Lambda Literary nurtures and advocates for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies, and affirm the value of our stories and our lives. Our programs include the Lambda Literary Awards, the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices, LGBTQ Writers in Schools, Lambda LitFest, and the Lambda Literary Review. www.lambdaliterary.org .
—From a press release
