Pre-Modernist LGBTQ+ Literature
In recent centuries, a golden age has blossomed for LGBTQ+ literature. As more and more communities begin to accept its presence, the quality and abundance of books within the genre has also increased.
This is principally due to the masterminds behind the scenes–a.k.a the authors who challenged taboos and stepped across limiting borders in the literary world. From secret societies to openly queer novelists, it’s thanks to their pen, and their vision of a more accepting world, that today’s industry is so diverse.
Let’s take a look at a timeline of LGBTQ+ authors from the mid-19th-century to the early 20th century, and how their impact would resonate in the modern world:
19th century:
Walt Whitman
Dubbed the father of the free verse, American poet and journalist Walt Whitman often slipped subtle messages of sexuality and queerness in his poetry. More often than naught, his works were faced with serious censorship by the American public. Though he denied any accusations of including homoerotic images and mentions, many of his contemporaries recall him being someone with a ‘frank sexuality’.
Some notable works by Whitman:
- Leaves of Grass
- Song of Myself
- O Captain! My Captain!
Oscar Wilde
Ah yes, the legend himself. This Irish author and poet always seemed to find himself at the end of controversy, whether intentional or not. Wilde more than challenged the constrictions of Victorian literature–he changed it.
Wilde was first openly questioned during the publishing of his piece The Picture of Dorian Gray. The novel faced such public outrage that it had to be called back and edited for homoerotic subtext.
Several decades later Wilde would be arrested after losing a libel case to the Marquess of Queensbury, in which his famous ‘love that dare not speak its name’ speech was pronounced. After 2 years of imprisonment, Wilde would spend his remaining years in exile in Paris, and succumb to a death due to injury.
Some notable works by Wilde:
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
- The Happy Prince
- De Profundis
- The Canterville Ghost
Virginia Woolfe
English author Virginia Woolfe is known for her encouragement of liberal thinking and open discussions revolving gender and sexuality. She was in an open relationship with poet and garden designer Vita Sackville-West.
Some notable works by Woolfe:
- Mrs. Dalloway
- Orlando
- To the Lighthouse
- A Room of One’s Own
Early Twentieth Century
Alain LeRoy Locke
The Harlem Renaissance is remembered for its revolutionary and relevant culture. From literature to music, its impact is longterm. One significant author, philosopher and journalist is Alain Locke, who not only advocated for important anti-segregational philosophy, but was also one of the first openly gay black authors. Locke would become a role model to many other writers of the Harlem Renaissance, and his works would impact the course of American history.
Some notable works by Locke:
- The New Negro
- The Negro and His Music
- Race Contacts and Interracial Relations
Frederico García Lorca
Curators of avant-garde forms recall a certain contemporary of Spanish artists known as The Generation of ’27. Two of its most memorable members are artist Salvador Dali and dramatist Frederico García Lorca. An openly gay poet, Lorca was the center of controversy in Spanish society. The majority of his works were banned or censored, and his open participation in ‘abnormal’ and far-left activities would soon result in his unexplained and mysterious assassination. Many assume that the assassins were members of a right-wing militia.
Some notable works by Lorca:
- Poem of the Deep Song
- The Butterfly’s Evil Spell
- Gypsy Ballads
- Yerma
Michael Dillon
Author and physician Michael Dillon was the first trans man to undergo gender-affirming surgery. In his books, Dillon argued for transgender rights in the medical industry. His ideas sparked outrage and intrigue, and it would take many decades for transgender voices to finally be accepted and heard. Due to undesired attention from the British press, Dillon would spend his last years in Buddhist communities in India.
Notable works by Dillon:
- Out of the Ordinary: A life of Gender and Spiritual Transitions
- The Life of Milarepa
James Baldwin
This list would not be complete without this prominent and legendary figure of literature. American novelist James Baldwin fictionalized important topics concerning social and psychological pressures. Many of his plots are inspired by his own life experiences, and LGBTQ+ characters were often his protagonists.
Baldwin’s works on race, social class, and sex would be important topics of discussion during the succeeding generations of the Harlem Renaissance, and they would be even more important in the years to come.
Some notable works by Baldwin:
- Notes of a Native Son
- If Beale Street Could Talk
- Giovanni’s Room
- The Devil Finds Work
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