Originally by Ron GarciaList RulesList includes known gay authors, living or dead—can be novelists, short story or film writers, poets, etc. Vote on the merits of their work
Who are the most famous gay writers in history? This list contains over 200 of the most notable gay writers ever, with photos where available. Some of the literary world's best talent has come from gay writers. The best gay authors may or may not choose to speak openly about their sexuality and tackle it as a theme in their writing or in their books. The LGBTQ+ community has contributed wonderful pieces of writing—from poems and novels to fantastic journalism—and many gay writers of the 20th century, like Oscar Wilde and Tennessee Williams, are studied in school and revered for their work.
Who are the most famous gay and lesbian authors? This list includes authors from ancient times to modern day, famous gay poets, novelists, screenplay writers and LGBTQ+ authors. Some on the list may not be considered "gay" by modern terms as cultures have changed throughout the centuries. Others were out and proud and used their unique experience to create some of the best gay literature of all time. That said, regardless of their era in antiquity, these gay authors have all expressed interest in same-sex relations.
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1,229233Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray, SalomeBirthplace: Ireland, Ireland, Europe, Dublin
Birthdate: 1854
Nationality: Ireland
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish poet... more
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541156Walt Whitman
Leaves of Grass, Drum TapsBirthplace: West Hills, New York
Birthdate: 1819
Nationality: United States of America
Walt Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist.... more3
464132Tennessee Williams
Sweet Bird of Youth, The Rose TattooBirthplace: Columbus, Mississippi, Lowndes County, United States of America, United States
Birthdate: 1911
Nationality: United States of America
Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name... more4
34391E. M. Forster
A Room with a View, A Passage to IndiaBirthplace: Marylebone, Eurasia, United Kingdom, London, England
Birthdate: 1879
Nationality: England
Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English novelist, short story... more5
466160James Baldwin
Go Tell It on the Mountain, Another CountryBirthplace: Harlem, New York City, New York
Birthdate: 1924
Nationality: United States of America
James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) was an American novelist, playwright,... more6
372124Marcel Proust
In Search of Lost Time, Swann in loveBirthplace: Auteuil-Neuilly-Passy
Birthdate: 1871
Nationality: France
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; French: [maʁsɛl pʁust]; 10 July 1871 – 18... more7
609158Virginia Woolf
To the Lighthouse, A Room of One's OwnBirthplace: Kensington, Eurasia, Greater London, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, United Kingdom
Birthdate: 1882
Nationality: England
Adeline Virginia Woolf (; née Stephen; 25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941) was an English... more8
365125Truman Capote
In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany'sBirthplace: Area code 504, United States of America, United States, with Territories, Louisiana
Birthdate: 1924
Nationality: United States of America
Truman Garcia Capote (; born Truman Streckfus Persons, September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984)... more9
27852Arthur Rimbaud
A Season in Hell, IlluminationsBirthplace: Europe, Metropolitan France, France, Charleville-Mézières, Champagne-Ardenne
Birthdate: 1854
Nationality: France
Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (UK: , US: ; French: [aʁtyʁ ʁɛ̃bo] (listen); 20 October 1854 – 10... more10
42894Emily Dickinson
The complete poems, Acts of Light: The World of Emily DickinsonBirthplace: Amherst, Massachusetts
Birthdate: 1830
Nationality: United States of America
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Dickinson... more11
247108Langston Hughes
The panther & the lash, Mule BoneBirthplace: Newton County, United States of America, United States, with Territories, Jasper County
Birthdate: 1902
Nationality: United States of America
Series Written: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social... more12
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307116T. S. Eliot
The Waste Land, The Love Song of J. Alfred PrufrockBirthplace: St. Louis, Missouri
Birthdate: 1888
Nationality: United States of America, United Kingdom, England
Series Written: Four Quartets
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 1888 – 4 January 1965), "one of the twentieth century's... more14
214106Christopher Isherwood
A Single Man, Goodbye to BerlinBirthplace: Wyberslegh Hall, Eurasia, United Kingdom
Birthdate: 1904
Nationality: United States of America, United Kingdom, England
Series Written: Christopher Isherwood Diaries
Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood (26 August 1904 – 4 January 1986) was an... more15
20047Yukio Mishima
Confessions of a Mask, Forbidden ColorsBirthplace: Kantō region, East Asia, Honshu, Tokyo, Asia
Birthdate: 1925
Nationality: Japan
Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, Mishima Yukio) is the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka (平岡 公威, Hiraoka... more16
27971Federico García Lorca
Doña Rosita the Spinster, The House of Bernarda AlbaBirthplace: Fuente Vaqueros, Spain
Birthdate: 1898
Nationality: Spain
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (Spanish pronunciation: [feðeˈɾiko ðel... more17
19682Sylvia Plath
The Bell Jar, The Colossus and Other PoemsBirthplace: Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts
Birthdate: 1932
Nationality: United States of America, Germany
Sylvia Plath (; October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) was an American poet, novelist, and... more18
34870Sappho
The Poetry of Sappho, The songs of SapphoBirthplace: Southeast Europe, Lesbos, Greece, North Aegean
Birthdate: 625
Nationality: Ancient Greece
Sappho (; Aeolic Greek Ψάπφω Psáppho; c. 630 – c. 570 BC) was an Archaic Greek poet from the... more19
226106Alice Walker
The Color Purple, Possessing the Secret of JoyBirthplace: Eatonton, Putnam County, United States of America, United States, with Territories
Birthdate: 1944
Nationality: United States of America
Alice Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and... more20
13852Jean Genet
The Balcony, The Blacks: A Clown ShowBirthplace: Île-de-France, Europe, Metropolitan France, France, Paris
Birthdate: 1910
Nationality: France
Jean Genet (French: [ʒɑ̃ ʒənɛ]; (1910-12-19)19 December 1910 – (1986-04-15)15 April 1986) was... more21
17451Albert Russo
Mixed Blood, The Black AncestorBirthplace: Congo
Birthdate: 1943
Nationality: Belgian
Albert Russo is a Belgian bilingual author of novels, short stories, essays and poems, as well... more22
18688Patricia Highsmith
The Talented Mr. Ripley, Strangers on a TrainBirthplace: Fort Worth, Texas
Birthdate: 1921
Nationality: United States of America
Patricia Highsmith (January 19, 1921 – February 4, 1995) was an American novelist and short... more23
16651Thomas Mann
The Magic Mountain, Death in VeniceBirthplace: Eurasia, Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Birthdate: 1875
Nationality: United States of America, Czechoslovakia, Germany
Paul Thomas Mann (UK: MAN, US: MAHN; German: [ˈpaʊ̯l ˈtoːmas ˈman]; 6 June 1875 – 12 August... more24
20093D. H. Lawrence
Lady Chatterley's Lover, Sons and LoversBirthplace: Eastwood, United Kingdom
Birthdate: 1885-09-11
Nationality: England
David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer and poet. His... more25
12943Colette
The Last of Cheri, GigiBirthplace: Europe, Metropolitan France, Burgundy, Yonne, Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye
Birthdate: 1873
Nationality: France
Colette (French: [kɔ.lɛt]; Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954) was a... more
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