Gaylactic Spectrum Awards

This from the Spectrum Awards website:

The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards were created in 1998 by the Gaylactic Network to honor works in science fiction, fantasy and horror which include positive explorations of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered characters, themes, or issues. In 2002, the Awards were handed over to a newly formed, independent organization - the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Foundation.

The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are juried with an open nomination process and are presented in a variety of categories each year, with works released in the previous calendar year - or previous 2 years for the Short Fiction and Other categories - eligible for consideration. Categories for 2012 are Best Novel, Best Short Fiction and Best Other Work. In addition, each year a small number of works originally released prior to the creation of the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards may be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

This year's short list of nominees:

The Highest Frontier by Joan Slonczewski

The Cold Commands by Richard Morgan

Grail by Elizabeth Bear

Rule 34 by Charles Stross

The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff

A Rope of Thorns by Gemma Files

Static by L. A. Witt

Huntress by Malinda Lo

God’s War and Infidel by Kameron Hurley

The Winner:

Honeyed Words by J. A. Pitts

I've only read God's War and I'm currently reading Hurley's Infidel, so I can't really comment on whether or not this is a strong list. But these are SFF titles some of us might want to check out.

I wasn't even aware that there was such a thing as the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards. . .