LOS ANGELES: Lambda Literary has announced the finalists of its 32nd annual Lambda Literary Awards. The awards, which advance LGBTQ literature, will not be celebrated with an in-person awards ceremony because of COVID-19.

Winners were culled from more than 1,000 book submissions from more than 600 publishers across 24 categories. This year’s drama winner is A Strange Loop by Michael R. Jackson, produced by Playwrights Horizons and Page 73. The drama finalists include The Amateurs by Jordan Harrison, Samuel French, Inc.; and Dr. Ride’s American Beach House by Liza Birkenmeier, produced by Ars Nova.

“While the Lammys are indeed something to celebrate, this is also a time of outrage and grief caused by the pandemic and state-sanctioned violence against Black people,” said Lambda Literary in a statement. “At Lambda Literary, we believe that LGBTQ literature inspires the radical imagination needed to dismantle white supremacy and build a more equitable world. We are grateful to this year’s winners, whose work reflects a vast range of queer creativity, and we hope you can draw strength and insight from the writers honored today.”