A Unique History
For over 30 years, the Lambda Literary Awards (or “Lammys”) have maintained a proud tradition of celebrating vibrant, dynamic LGBTQ storytelling.
In 1989, the Lambda Literary Awards were created to garner national visibility for LGBTQ books, which had established a foothold through a nascent network of lesbian and gay publishers and bookstores.
Today, the Lammys celebrate more than 150 LGBTQ writers across 25 categories, and include several cash prizes for writers at all stages in their careers.
Traditionally, the Lammys are awarded each June at a ceremony in New York City. The 2021 and 2022 ceremonies were held virtually as we adapted to safety considerations around COVID-19.
Lammy Award judges are impaneled in the fall. These panels typically consist of three judges per award category, with some exceptions based on anticipated submission volume. Among the factors for selecting judges are: interest, availability, affinity for the assigned category, and familiarity with the field. Lammys finalists are revealed in the spring of the award year, and celebrated at the award ceremony in June. Winners receive plaque, the coveted Lambda Literary Award sticker for the covers of their award-winning book, and a place in Lambda’s decades-long history of recognized LGBTQ literary brilliance.
The 2022 Virtual Lammys
In June 2022, the Lammys were presented virtually for the second time, making the event accessible to all members of our community.
The event was hosted by Raquel Willis.
Special Awards & Cash Prizes
Lambda Literary hosts a number of special awards recognizing the outstanding contributions made by individuals to LGBTQ literature, culture, and community. These cash prizes are made possible by the generosity of our donors and announced at the Lammys.
- Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction
- Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction
- Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers
- Jim Duggins, PhD Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Prize
- The J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50
Submissions for Special Prize categories open in January of the award year. For the 2023 cycle, submissions were open January 16th, 2023 – February 17th, 2023. Each special prize has its own guidelines and submissions contents.
For more information, visit the Special Prizes page.
Interviews with Previous Award Winners
Check out the latest interviews with our award-winning writers.
