Lambda Literary Awards 2023: Complete list of winners

The 2023 Lambda Literary Awards celebrated the extraordinary range and depth of LGBTQ+ literature, recognizing works that span genres from speculative fiction to memoir, graphic novels to poetry. As one of the most prestigious honors in publishing, the Lambdas have long served as a vital recognition system for queer voices, and this year’s selections showcase why that mission remains essential. The winners demonstrate the vibrant ecosystem of contemporary LGBTQ+ writing—from Gwendolyn Kiste’s “Reluctant Immortals” and Maria San Filippo’s “Appropriate Behavior” anchoring the bisexual literature category, to Danny Ramadan’s “The Foghorn Echoes” representing bold gay fiction, the awards cast a wide net across sexual orientation and gender identity.

What stands out about the 2023 Lambda Literary Awards winners is their formal and thematic diversity. Transgender fiction emerged as a particularly rich category, with three winners including Cat Fitzpatrick’s “The Call-Out,” Emma Grove’s “The Third Person,” and Kamden Ishmael Hilliard’s “MissSettl,” each bringing distinct storytelling approaches to the trans experience. Meanwhile, K-Ming Chang’s “Gods of Want” claimed the lesbian fiction prize, while Edgar Gomez’s “High-Risk Homosexual” and Kathryn Schulz’s “Lost & Found” represented the memoir categories with their intimate explorations of identity and resilience. Even the comics category recognized “Mamo,” expanding the definition of literary achievement beyond traditional prose.

These selections reflect both established and emerging voices reshaping LGBTQ+ literature. Here are all the 2023 Lambda Literary Awards winners across their categories: