Lambda Literary Award for Poetry

Last updated

Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Poetry
Awarded forLiterary award
Sponsored by Lambda Literary Foundation
DateAnnual
Website www.lambdaliterary.org

The Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Poetry is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation to a LGBTQ+ themed book of poetry.

Contents

At the first two Lambda Literary Awards in 1989 and 1990, a single award for Poetry was presented, irrespective of gender. Beginning with the 3rd Lambda Literary Awards in 1991, the poetry award was split into two separate awards for Gay Poetry and Lesbian Poetry, which have been presented continuously since then except at the 20th Lambda Literary Awards in 2008, when a merged LGBTQ poetry award was again presented for that year only. In 2016, an award for Transgender Poetry was introduced and has been presented every year since; likewise an award for Bisexual Poetry has been presented since 2019.

In 2024, an award for LGBTQ+ Poetry was again shortlisted, in addition to the 4 newer categories.

Honorees

Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Poetry winners and finalists
YearAuthorTitleResult
1989 Carl Morse and Joan Larkin (eds.)Gay & Lesbian Poetry in our TimeWinner [1]
Josephine Balmer (transl.)Sappho: Poems and FragmentsFinalist
James Merrill The Inner Room
Paul Monette Love Alone: Eighteen Elegies for Rog
May Sarton The Silence Now
1990 Michael Klein Poets for LifeWinner [2]
Cheryl Clarke Humid Pitch: Narrative PoetryFinalist
Robert Glück Reader
Christian McEwen Naming the Waves
Adrienne Rich Time’s Power: Poems 1985–1988
1991–2007See separate awards for Gay Poetry and Lesbian Poetry
2008 [lower-alpha 1] Henri Cole Blackbird and WolfWinner [3]
Dawn Lundy Martin A Gathering of Matter/A Matter of GatheringFinalist
Carol Potter Otherwise Obedient
Reginald Shepherd Fata Morgana
C. Dale Young The Second Person
Syd Zolf [lower-alpha 2] Human Resources
2009–2015See separate awards for Gay Poetry and Lesbian Poetry
2016–2018See awards for Gay Poetry, Lesbian Poetry and Transgender Poetry
2019–2023See awards for Gay Poetry, Lesbian Poetry, Transgender Poetry and Bisexual Poetry
2024 [lower-alpha 3] Robin Gow Lanternfly AugustFinalist [4]
Destiny Hemphill motherworld: a devotional for the alter-life
Sam Sax Pig
Quinn Carver Johnson The Perfect Bastard
Alina Pleskova Toska

Notes

  1. As "Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Poetry"
  2. Shortlisted under their deadname
  3. In 2024, as well as a combined "Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Poetry", poetry was also shortlisted in the separate categories of Gay Poetry, Lesbian Poetry, Transgender Poetry and Bisexual Poetry.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT community</span> Community and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

The LGBT community is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. LGBT activists and sociologists see LGBT community-building as a counterweight to heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexualism, and conformist pressures that exist in the larger society. The term pride or sometimes gay pride expresses the LGBT community's identity and collective strength; pride parades provide both a prime example of the use and a demonstration of the general meaning of the term. The LGBT community is diverse in political affiliation. Not all people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender consider themselves part of the LGBT community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lambda Literary Awards</span> Award for published works that celebrate or explore LGBT themes

Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature. The awards were instituted in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture</span> Common culture shared by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people

LGBT culture is a culture shared by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. It is sometimes referred to as queer culture, while the term gay culture may be used to mean either "LGBT culture" or homosexual culture specifically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lambda Literary Foundation</span> LGBT literary organization

The Lambda Literary Foundation is an American LGBTQ literary organization whose mission is to nurture and advocate for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve their legacies, and affirm the value of LGBTQ stories and lives.

Sheela Lambert (1956-2024), a native and lifelong resident of New York City, was an American bisexual activist and writer.

<i>Bi Any Other Name</i> 1991 anthology

Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out, published by Riverdale Avenue Books, is an anthology edited by Loraine Hutchins and Lani Kaʻahumanu, and is one of the seminal books in the history of the modern bisexual rights movement. It holds a place that is in many ways comparable to that held by Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique in the feminist movement.

Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the United States-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works that celebrate or explore LGBT themes. The awards are presented annually for books published in the previous year. The Lambda Literary Foundation states that its mission is "to celebrate LGBT literature and provide resources for writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, and librarians—the whole literary community."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Dawn</span> Canadian writer

Amber Dawn is a Canadian writer, who won the 2012 Dayne Ogilvie Prize, presented by the Writers' Trust of Canada to an emerging lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender writer.

The Lambda Literary Award for Debut Fiction is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation to a debut work of fiction on LGBT themes. Formerly presented in two separate categories for gay male and lesbian debut fiction, beginning the 25th Lambda Literary Awards in 2013 a single award, inclusive of both male and female writers, was presented. The award was, however, discontinued after the 28th Lambda Literary Awards in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart Timmons</span> American historian

Stuart Timmons was an American journalist, activist, historian, and award-winning author specializing in LGBT history based in Los Angeles, California. He was the author of The Trouble With Harry Hay: Founder of the Modern Gay Movement and the co-author of Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians with Lillian Faderman.

Bisexual literature is a subgenre of LGBT literature that includes literary works and authors that address the topic of bisexuality or biromanticism. This includes characters, plot lines, and/or themes portraying bisexual behavior in both men and women.

The Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation to a gay-themed book of poetry by a male writer.

The Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Poetry is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation to a lesbian-themed book of poetry by a female writer. At the first two Lambda Literary Awards in 1989 and 1990, a single award for LGBT Poetry, irrespective of gender, was presented. Beginning with the 3rd Lambda Literary Awards in 1991, the poetry award was split into two separate awards for Lesbian Poetry and Gay Poetry, which have been presented continuously since then except at the 20th Lambda Literary Awards in 2008, when a merged LGBTQ poetry award was again presented for that year only.

The Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works that celebrate or explore LGBT themes. The organization is considered to be one of the main promoters of new and emerging LGBT writers.

The Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Graphic Novel is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation, to a graphic novel with LGBT themes. As the award is presented based on themes in the work, not the sexuality or gender of the writer, non-LGBT individuals may be nominated for or win the award.

The Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Literature is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation, that awards books with bisexual content. The award can be separated into three categories: bisexual fiction, bisexual nonfiction, and bisexual poetry. Awards are granted based on literary merit and bisexual content, and therefore, the writer may be homo-, hetero-, or asexual.

The Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Literature is an annual literary award, presented by the Lambda Literary Foundation, that awards books with transgender content. Awards are granted based on literary merit and transgender content, and therefore, the writer may be cisgender. The award can be separated into three categories: transgender fiction, transgender nonfiction, and transgender poetry, though early iterations of the award included categories for bisexual/transgender literature, transgender/genderqueer literature, and transgender literature.

References

  1. "1st Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary Foundation. January 13, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  2. "2nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary Foundation. July 13, 1990. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  3. Antonio Gonzalez Cerna (April 30, 2007). "20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary Foundation . Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  4. "Announcing the Finalists for the 36th Annual Lambda Literary Awards". them. March 27, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.