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Lambda Literary Foundation · award year

Lambda Literary Awards 2022

The 2022 Lambda Literary Awards went to We Want What We Want by Alix Ohlin (Bisexual Fiction), Borealis by Aisha Sabatini Sloan (Bisexual Nonfiction) and Gumbo Ya Ya by Aurielle Marie (Bisexual Poetry), with winners in 21 more categories. 120 books were finalists across 24 categories.

Winners

Bisexual Fiction

  1. We Want What We Want by Alix Ohlinsource (opens in a new tab)

Bisexual Nonfiction

  1. Borealis by Aisha Sabatini Sloansource (opens in a new tab)

Bisexual Poetry

  1. Gumbo Ya Ya by Aurielle Mariesource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Fiction

  1. 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnellsource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Memoir/Biography

  1. Punch Me Up to the Gods: A Memoir by Brian Broomesource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Poetry

  1. Punks: New & Selected Poems by John Keenesource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Romance

  1. Excellent Sons: A Love Story in Three Acts by Larry Benjaminsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Anthology

  1. Mouths of Rain: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Thought by Briona Simone Jonessource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Children's/Middle Grade

  1. Calvin by Vanessa Fordsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Comics

  1. Stone Fruit by Lee Laisource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Drama

  1. Mrs. Harrison by R. Eric Thomassource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Erotica

  1. Big Joe by Samuel R. Delanysource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Mystery

  1. The Savage Kind by John Copenhaversource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Nonfiction

  1. Let the Record Show by Sarah Schulmansource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Speculative Fiction

  1. No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbullsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Studies

  1. Vice Patrol: Cops, Courts, and the Struggle over Urban Gay Life before Stonewall by Anna Lvovskysource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Young Adult

  1. The Heartbreak Bakery by A. R. Capettasource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Fiction

  1. Skye Falling by Mia McKenziesource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Memoir/Biography

  1. The One You Want to Marry (And Other Identities I've Had): A Memoir by Sophie Santossource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Poetry

  1. Last Days by Tamiko Beyersource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Romance

  1. The Headmistress by Milena McKaysource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender Fiction

  1. Summer Fun by Jeanne Thorntonsource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender Nonfiction

  1. Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness by Da'Shaun Harrisonsource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender Poetry

  1. Crossbones on My Life by Mason Jsource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Bisexual Fiction

  1. Blue-Skinned Gods by SJ Sindusource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Milk Fed: A Novel by Melissa Brodersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Monster in the Middle by Tiphanie Yaniquesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. We Play Ourselves by Jen Silvermansource (opens in a new tab)

Bisexual Nonfiction

  1. Dark Tourist: Essays by Hasanthika Sirisenasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much by Jen Winstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation's Neglect of a Deadly Disease by Daisy Hernándezsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Way She Feels: My Life on the Borderline in Pictures and Pieces by Courtney Cooksource (opens in a new tab)

Bisexual Poetry

  1. Imagine Us, The Swarm by Muriel Leungsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Master Suffering by CM Burroughssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Best Prey by Paige Quiñonessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Sunflower Cast a Spell to Save Us from the Void by Jackie Wangsource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Fiction

  1. Brickmakers: A Novel by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Gordo by Jaime Cortezsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. My Good Son by Yang Huangsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendezsource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Memoir/Biography

  1. Antiman: A Hybrid Memoir by Rajiv Mohabirsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hola Papi by John Paul Brammersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Never Silent: ACT UP and My Life in Activism by Peter Staleysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Writing with Caca / Escribir con Caca by Luis Felipe Fabre, translated by JD Plueckersource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Poetry

  1. Besiege Me by Nicholas Wongsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Creep Love by Michael Walshsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Shoreditch by Miguel Murphysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Tenderness by Derrick Austinsource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Romance

  1. Best of the Wrong Reasons by Sander Santiagosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dublin Bay by John Patricksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Floridian Nights by Lance Ringelsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjorsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Anthology

  1. Between Certain Death and a Possible Future: Queer Writing on Growing Up with the AIDS Crisis by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamoresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Q & A: Voices from Queer Asian North America by Martin F. Manalansan IV, Alice Y. Hom and Kale Bantigue Fajardosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Queer Nightlife by Kemi Adeyemi, Kareem Khubchandani and Ramón H. Rivera-Serverasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays by Leanna Keyes, Lindsey Mantoan and Angela Farr Schillersource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Children's/Middle Grade

  1. Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blakesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wildsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Stitch by Stich: Cleve Jones and the AIDS Memorial Quilt by Rob Sanderssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Fabulous Zed Watson! by Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvestersource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Comics

  1. Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier and Val Wisesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Our Work Is Everywhere: An Illustrated Oral History of Queer & Trans Resistance by Syan Rosesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Shadow Life by Hiromi Gotosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Thirsty Mermaids by Kat Leyhsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Drama

  1. Love Like Light by Daniel Alexander Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Pillow Talk by Kheven LaGronesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Thrive, or What You Will {an epic} by L M Feldmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. mama [rose.] by storaë michelesource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Erotica

  1. Ambrosia: Trans Masc and Non Binary Erotic Comics Anthology by Tab Kimpton and Jade Sarsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Nectar: Trans Femme and Non Binary Erotic Comics Anthology by Tab Kimpton and Harry-Anne Bentleysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Queer Werewolves Destroy Capitalism: Smutty Stories by MJ Lyonssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Lodger, That Summer by Levi Huxtonsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Mystery

  1. Bath Haus by P.J. Vernonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Finding the Vein by Jennifer Hanlon Wildesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Lies With Man by Michael Navasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Murder Under Her Skin by Stephen Spotswoodsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Nonfiction

  1. Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures by Adam Zithsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Girlhood by Melissa Febossource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Northern Light: Power, Land, and the Memory of Water by Kazim Alisource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Speculative Fiction

  1. A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martinesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Breeder by Honni van Rijswijksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Phototaxis by Olivia Tapiero, translated by Kit Schlutersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Tensorate Series by Neon Yangsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Studies

  1. Homo Psyche: On Queer Theory and Erotophobia by Gila Ashtorsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Racial Erotics: Gay Men of Color, Sexual Racism, and the Politics of Desire by C. Winter Hansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Shape of Sex by Leah DeVunsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Transtopia in the Sinophone Pacific by Howard Chiangsource (opens in a new tab)

LGBTQ Young Adult

  1. Hani And Ishu's Guide To Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdarsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The City Beautiful by Aden Polydorossource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimonssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. What We Devour by Linsey Millersource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Fiction

  1. How to Wrestle a Girl by Venita Blackburnsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Matrix by Lauren Groffsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quadesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. With Teeth by Kristen Arnettsource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Memoir/Biography

  1. The 2000s Made Me Gay: Essays on Pop Culture by Grace Perrysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Audacity of a Kiss: Love, Art, and Liberation by Leslie Cohensource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Daring Life and Dangerous Times of Eve Adams by Jonathan Ned Katzsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Why Labelle Matters by Adele Berteisource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Poetry

  1. All the Rage by Rosamond S. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Language We Were Never Taught to Speak by Grace Lausource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Renunciations: Poems by Donika Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Who's Your Daddy by Arisa Whitesource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Romance

  1. Chemistry Lessons by Jaesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Go Around by E. J Noyessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. In the Long Run by Haley Casssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Red Tide at Heron Bay by Gerri Hillsource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender Fiction

  1. A Natural History of Transition by Callum Angussource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peterssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body by Megan Milkssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chansource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender Nonfiction

  1. Brown Trans Figurations: Rethinking Race, Gender, and Seuxality in Chicanx/Latinx Studies by Francisco Galartesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Care Of: Letters, Connections, and Cures by Ivan Coyotesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Trans Sex: Clinical Approaches to Trans Sexualities and Erotic Embodiments by Lucie Fieldingsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Trans and Genderqueer Subjects in Medieval Hagiography by Alicia Spencer-Hall and Blake Guttsource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender Poetry

  1. Salamat sa Intersectionality by Dani Putneysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Transverse by Lindsay Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Villainy by Andrea Abi-Karamsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. x/ex/exis by Raquel Salas Riverasource (opens in a new tab)

About the Lambda Literary Awards

Winners and finalists in every book category, from Lambda Literary's own Lammys Directory (an Airtable embed on the cited page). Year is the ceremony year: the 18th annual awards (2006) through the 37th (2025). The directory lists each book under its publication year, one year earlier, so year = directory year + 1. Ties are recorded as Winner. For 2025 the directory labels non-winners "Shortlist"; Lambda's announcement calls them finalists, so they are Finalist here. Editor and illustrator role tags are dropped from author names; translators go in the translator field. Special Prizes (career and emerging-writer awards to people) are out of scope.

Organization: Lambda Literary Foundation. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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