OutWrite: The Speeches that Shaped LGBTQ Literary Culture

The OutWrite conference was a pivotal event in LGBTQ literary culture in the United States, bringing together literary lions and emerging queer writers. This collection includes twenty-seven memorable speeches from the conference, covering topics such as racial representation, sexual politics, and emerging identity politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 342 pages
Publication date: 30 April 2022
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

The OutWrite conference, a pivotal event that took place from 1990 to 1999, played a significant role in shaping LGBTQ literary culture in the United States and its emerging canon. This conference provided a platform for literary giants who had established their reputations prior to the gay liberation movement, such as Edward Albee, John Rechy, and Samuel R. Delany, to interact, network, and engage with a new generation of emerging queer writers, including Tony Kushner, Alison Bechdel, and Sarah Schulman.

To capture the essence of this remarkable period in LGBTQ literary history, this collection presents twenty-seven of the most memorable speeches from the OutWrite conference. These speeches encompass both keynote addresses and panel presentations, drawn from a diverse range of contributors, including Allen Ginsberg, Judy Grahn, Essex Hemphill, Patrick Califia, Dorothy Allison, Allan Gurganus, Chrystos, John Preston, Linda Villarosa, Edmund White, and numerous others.

OutWrite offers readers a front-row seat to the passionate debates, nascent identity politics, and provocative ideas that fueled queer intellectual and literary culture in the 1990s. The topics covered in these talks, which remain relevant today, range from racial representation to sexual politics. By delving into these issues, the conference contributed to the development of a vibrant and diverse LGBTQ literary landscape.

This collection serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in exploring the rich tapestry of LGBTQ literature and culture during the 1990s. It provides a glimpse into the minds of influential writers, thinkers, and activists who shaped the landscape of queer literature and helped to establish it as a significant and influential genre. Whether you are a scholar, a reader, or simply someone passionate about LGBTQ history and culture, this collection offers a wealth of insights and perspectives that are sure to engage and inspire.

Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978828049