Over 500 literati attended Monday's 28th annual Lambda Literary Awards, recognizing excellence in LGBT literature, hosted by comedian Kate Clinton at New York University's Skirball Performing Arts Center.
Writers Hilton Als and Eileen Myles were honored at the event with awards presented by Broadway star and Style Rookie editor Tavi Gevinson and poet Natalie Diaz, respectively. Gevinson read a long, heartfelt speech dedicated to Als, her friend and mentor, who received the Trustee Award for Excellence in Literature. "I am in awe of you," she told him, before embracing him for what seemed like eternity. Diaz, who is Mojave American, celebrated Pioneer Award winner Myles while commenting on the irony of being a native woman presenting such an award to a white woman. Myles then appeared onstage mocking her own pioneer-ness in a fake raccoon hat, tossing it to the audience before reading a poem to celebrate her win.
For the first year, Lambda recognized the category of transgender poetry, awarding a prize to the late kari edwards for her book succubus in my pocket. Alex Gino, whose children's book George tells the story of a transgender fourth-grader who wants to play Charlotte in her school's production of Charlotte's Web won in the youth literature category.
Femmes Damien Luxe, Heather M. Ács, and Sabina Ibarrola brought down the house when they won for Glitter and Grit: Queer Performance From the Heels on Wheels Femme Galaxy in the best LGBT nonfiction anthology category. The team took the stage decked out in glittering gowns and spoke passionately about femme visibility to a thrilled audience, prompting Kate Clinton to remark, "Never have the Lambda Literary Awards sounded so much like the People's Choice Awards."
See more photos of the ceremony on the following pages and find a full list of winners here.
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