History has always been far more diverse than it appears. LGBTQIA+ creators have also always been able to carve places for themselves in the world of words. That is not to say that it has been easy, or is easy now. In this list I will shine a spotlight on just some writers who happen to be LGBTQIA+. I will try to balance modern and historical writers because we have always been here and that should be celebrated. There is no order or favoritism. Just celebrating great writers.
Lee has been writing a fantastic series that takes place in a world of super powered persons. Her main character is looking for her identity in a family of superheroes where she doesn’t belong. This series has it all; including some romance. Lee uses the world of science fiction to see how the world could be, and it makes for great reading.
2. David Levithan–
Levithan is a fiction writer who has been writing gay characters his whole career. He is also an editor at Scholastic and and the founding editor of the PUSH imprint, which is devoted to finding new voices and new authors in teen literature. He has written some big name novels and collaborated with many other great authors.
3. Assotto Saint–
Originally born in Haiti in 1957, Saint was a force helping new talent in the community. Saint founded a publishing house! Not only was Saint an activist but also a poet, a playwright and a producer. Saint also founded and was the artistic director for the Memphis Theater.
4. Malinda Lo–
Lo is a bestselling author of several acclaimed books. She has given a space and voice for diverse characters who are often homosexual. Lo also has written works of nonfiction which have been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Autostraddle, The Horn Book, and multiple anthologies.
5. Betty Berzon–
Berzon was a psychologist who wrote books for and also counseled gay and lesbian couples in a time when those resources were not readily available. Berzon came out in the late 1960s after getting her masters degree. She also organized both a community services center in Los Angeles and the Gay Psychological Association to advocate for change within the APA. She has founded and joined numerous groups for LGBT advocacy, serving as president of the National Gay Academic Union and a board member of the Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services.
6. S. Bear Bergman–
Bergman does it all; theater, plays and other written word. He uses his own experiences with gender identity in his work which is wonderful for those who are starting on their gender identity journeys. He is also the founder of Flamingo Rampant, a children’s press focused on feminist, LGBTQ-positive, racially-diverse children’s books and writer of the advice column Ask Bear.
7. Emily Dickinson–
Dickinson is one of the great American poets. She is also one of the early female American writers, though most of her poems were published after her death. She wrote about everything from illness to gardening to war.
8. Aiden Thomas–
Thomas is a New York, Latinx best selling author. They have written a great book about a love story with ghosts and a neat retelling about Wendy and her time in the Neverwoods. They create fun and interesting worlds for young adult readers to find themselves in.
9. Sappho–
Sappho is a poet who has influenced many persons and even shaped the language of the community. Her works are vast and wonderful, though history has not always been kind to her. Not much is known of the details of her life but she was a devotee of Aphrodite. Her poetry reflects her feelings on love and are considered very romantic.
10. Trista Mateer–
Mateer is a modern poet whose works deal with everything from mental health to love itself. Her poems don’t pull any punches. She got her start using social media and has been a huge help to others just starting in the writing community.
I hope you have found a new author to try! If I miss your favorite, comment below! I love recommendations. Happy pride and happy reading, my friends.
ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!!!
Real Women of Gaming 