Author Justin Torres knows that resurrecting queer history makes for a better world
Blackouts. He then handed the microphone to a fellow writer to advocate for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.Torres solidified that his writing wasn’t just bringing queer history to the forefront of culture but that his conviction was to be remembered on the right side of it for all people, no matter how controversial.
Although the nominees had agreed to use the platform for a cause greater than literature, it almost felt too on-brand for Torres.
Throughout his career, he has crafted poignant lyricism and daring, insightful prose to envision a better world.Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.The 44-year-old Puerto Rican understands all too well the nuances of hardship and marginalization and the importance of bridging the gaps between the past and the future.Such is seen in an essay he wrote for the New Yorker, in which he assists his homeless, Trump-supporting brother at the laundromat before checking him into a cash-only motel for a week.
He admits relief to be able to escape his sibling as a presidential election looms, harboring hope that even a small correction to the greed and ugliness in the world is not impossible.
