During the last two decades there has been a dramatic resurgence in literary and cultural production by Americans who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, or queer (LGBTQ). Like many of those who create it, LGBTQ literature has come out of the closet to become an important facet of mainstream American education. Comprehensive in scope and accessible to students and general readers, "Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the United States" explores contemporary American LGBTQ literature and its social, political, cultural, and historical contexts. Included are several hundred alphabetically arranged entries written by expert contributors. Students of literature and popular culture will appreciate the encyclopedia's insightful survey and discussion of LGBTQ authors and their works, while students of history and social issues will value the encyclopedia's use of literature to explore LGBTQ American society. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and lists additional sources of information. To further enhance study and understanding, the encyclopedia closes with a selected general bibliography of print and electronic resources for student research. This title features: hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries discuss authors, literary works, movements, genres, and social issues; an alphabetical list of entries offers a quick survey of the encyclopedia's contents; and, a guide to related topics quickly and conveniently directs readers to entries likely to interest them.