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Andrea Gibson

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Andrea Gibson
Born
Andrea Faye Gibson

(1975-08-13)August 13, 1975
Calais, Maine, US
DiedJuly 14, 2025(2025-07-14) (aged 49)
Longmont, Colorado, US
Alma materSaint Joseph's College of Maine
Known for
  • Spoken word poetry
  • activism
Notable work
  • You Better Be Lightning
  • Lord of the Butterflies
  • Take Me With You
  • Hey Galaxy
SpouseMegan Falley
Awards
  • Denver Grand Slam Champion (4×)
  • Women of the World Poetry Slam champion (2008)
HonorsPoet Laureate of Colorado
Websiteandreagibson.org

Andrea Faye Gibson (August 13, 1975 – July 14, 2025) was an American poet and activist. Their poetry focused on gender norms, politics, social justice, LGBTQ topics, life, and mortality.[a] Gibson was appointed as the Poet Laureate of Colorado in 2023.

Early life and education

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Andrea Faye Gibson was born on August 13, 1975, in Calais, Maine, where they grew up.[2][3] Their father, Mark, worked for a post office and their mother, Shirley, was a secretary at a technical college. They have one sister, Laura. Gibson's parents were observant Baptists, and Gibson's upbringing was strictly religious and socially conservative.[2]

Gibson attended Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a Catholic private school in Standish, Maine.[2][4] Gibson attended on a basketball scholarship, and graduated in 1997 with an English degree.[2]

Gibson lived for a time with a girlfriend in New Orleans, and the two moved in 1999 to Boulder, Colorado.[5] Gibson went to their first open mic event at the Mercury Cafe in Denver, where they were inspired to become a spoken word artist.[6] In 2005, Gibson left their job as a Montessori teacher and became a full-time poet.[7]

Poetry

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Gibson's poetry focuses on gender norms, politics, social justice, and LGBTQ topics.[8] After their cancer diagnosis, Gibson also began writing poetry on topics including depression, illness, life, and mortality.[9] Gibson helped to drive a resurgence in the popularity of spoken word poetry in the mid-2000s.[2]

In 2008, Gibson published their first book of poetry, Pole Dancing To Gospel Hymns.[10] This was followed by The Madness Vase and Pansy, all published by Write Bloody Publishing.[10][11] Gibson also wrote and published Take Me With You, a book of quotes and phrases. In 2018, they published Lord of the Butterflies.[12]

Gibson's album Yellowbird incorporated music with spoken word. Confronting fear was a theme in poems of their following album, Flower Boy. Gibson also released Truce in 2013, followed by Hey, Galaxy in 2018.[12] In total, Gibson wrote seven poetry books and published seven albums.[10][2]

Gibson cited Sonya Renee Taylor, Derrick Brown, Anis Mojgani, Patricia Smith, and Mary Oliver as their influences.[13] Gibson toured heavily, despite suffering from stage fright.[2] They often performed poems at Button Poetry.[14]

Activism

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In addition to using poetry to provide social and political commentary on gender and LGBTQ issues, Gibson was involved with many activist groups, and also performed at Take Back the Night events.[15] For about a decade, Gibson performed with Vox Feminista, a "performance tribe of radical feminists bent on social change through cultural revolution."[16][17][18]

In 2019, Gibson collaborated with producer Sarah Megyesy and musician Ani DiFranco to produce a video for the poem "America, Reloading", which discusses gun violence in the United States.[19] "It's my hope that it will inspire direct action, conscious organizing, and more informed discussions between people with varying opinions about the most compassionate way forward," Gibson said.[20]

Gibson worked with the national Power to the Patients movement to pressure hospitals to publish prices online.[21]

Awards and honors

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Gibson was a four-time Denver Grand Slam Champion.[10] They placed fourth in the 2004 National Poetry Slam and third in the 2006 and 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam.[22] Gibson was the first person to win the Women of the World Poetry Slam in 2008.[10] Gibson won the Independent Publisher Book Awards twice, in 2019 and 2021.[23] They were a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist three times.[10]

In September 2023, Gibson was appointed Colorado's Poet Laureate by Governor Jared Polis.[24]

Personal life

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Marriage and relationships

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After seven years of dating, Gibson and fellow poet Megan Falley announced their engagement in August 2022,[25] and later married.[10]

Gender identity

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Gibson was genderqueer[9] and used the pronouns they/them/theirs.[26] Many of their poems are about gender identity, such as "Swing Set" and "Andrew".[27] Gibson said, regarding gender, "I don't necessarily identify within a gender binary. I've never in my life really felt like a woman and I've certainly never felt like a man. I look at gender on a spectrum and I feel somewhere on that spectrum that's not landing on either side of that."[16]

Regarding appellation, Gibson expressed affinity for a variety of names, stating "The names my loved ones call me that I love being called: Andrea. Andrew. Andy. Anderson. Dre. Gibby. Gib. Gibbs. Gibba. Sam. Faye. Pangee."[1]

Illness and death

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Gibson stated they had chronic Lyme disease (CLD), speaking about their experience with physical suffering and difficulty accessing care and treatment.[28]

Gibson was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August 2021. On August 2, 2022, Gibson canceled a scheduled tour due to a recurrence of the cancer.[29] They announced a further recurrence in May 2023 on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast with Glennon Doyle.[30]

Gibson and their wife were the subjects of the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which documented their marriage and how they dealt with Gibson's terminal cancer diagnosis. Directed by Ryan White and produced by comedian Tig Notaro, the film won the Festival Film Favorite Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.[31][21] Gibson co-wrote a song for the documentary, "Salt Then Sour Then Sweet", with executive producers Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile.[32][33]

Gibson died of ovarian cancer on July 14, 2025, aged 49, at their home in Longmont, Colorado.[2]

Works

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Discography

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  • Bullets and Windchimes (2003)[34]
  • Swarm (2004)[35]
  • When the Bough Breaks (2006)[12]
  • Yellowbird (2009)[36]
  • Flower Boy (2011)[12]
  • Truce (2013)[17]
  • Hey Galaxy (2018)[12]

Books

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  • Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns (2008, Write Bloody Publishing; ISBN 9781935904892)[10]
  • The Madness Vase (2012, Write Bloody Publishing; ISBN 9781935904380)[10]
  • Pansy (2015, Write Bloody Publishing; ISBN 9781938912986)[11]
  • Take Me With You (2018, Plume; ISBN 9780735219519)[10]
  • Lord of the Butterflies (2018, Button Poetry; ISBN 9781943735426)[37]
  • How Poetry Can Change Your Heart (with Megan Falley, 2019, Chronicle Books; ISBN 9781452171807)[10]
  • You Better Be Lightning (2021, Button Poetry; ISBN 9781943735990)[38][39][40]

Notes

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  1. ^ Gibson used they/them pronouns.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Gibson, Andrea. "I just found out today is International Non-Binary Day..." Instagram. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Risen, Clay (July 15, 2025). "Andrea Gibson, a Poet of Love, Hope and Gender Identity, Dies at 49". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  3. ^ Groat, Kylie (April 26, 2018). "Andrea Gibson reflects on growing up in Maine, waking up to classism, and the politics of beauty". The Conway Daily Sun. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Sullivan, James (April 25, 2019). "Spoken-word artist Andrea Gibson is in the fight for hearts and minds". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  5. ^ Heckel, Aimee (September 4, 2018). "Up Close With Poet/Activist Andrea Gibson". Travel Boulder. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  6. ^ Peiken, Matt (April 30, 2007). "Andrea Gibson isn't in it to win". Metaphor. Archived from the original on July 9, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  7. ^ Yamasaki, Parker (September 14, 2023). "Colorado's new poet laureate is easy to understand — but hard to hear". The Colorado Sun. Archived from the original on June 23, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  8. ^ Groat, Kylie (May 1, 2018). "Andrea Gibson Learned Their Identity Through Writing". Seventeen. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Schoenbaum, Hannah (July 14, 2025). "Poet Andrea Gibson, candid explorer of life, death and identity, dies at 49". AP News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Khan, Melina (July 15, 2025). "Andrea Gibson, featured in award-winning documentary, dies at 49 after cancer battle". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Wade, Julie Marie (February 13, 2016). "Pansy By Andrea Gibson". The Rumpus. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e Gibson, Andrea. "Music & Books". Andrea Gibson. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  13. ^ Bhatia, Ishita; Pachisia, Stuti (August 27, 2015). "I am always in the process of becoming: Andrea Gibson In Conversation With Eyezine". Eyezine. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  14. ^ "andrea gibson Archives". Button Poetry. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  15. ^ Deweese, Shelby (March 7, 2014). "Students share stories about sexual assault". Daily Trojan. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Notaro, Tig (April 22, 2015). "The Pioneering Poet". Interview. Archived from the original on February 28, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  17. ^ a b Gallagher, Natalie (January 9, 2014). "Andrea Gibson's Truce never surrenders". The Pitch. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "Support Women Artists Sunday: Andrea Gibson". Women's Media Center. July 3, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  19. ^ Sullivan, James (April 25, 2019). "Spoken-word artist Andrea Gibson is in the fight for hearts and minds". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  20. ^ Harris, Kyle (April 30, 2019). "Andrea Gibson's New Video Takes Aim at the National Rifle Association". Westword. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Yamasaki, Parker (July 14, 2025). "Andrea Gibson, Colorado's poet laureate and a national voice on LGBTQ issues, has died". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  22. ^ Bierman, Courtney (November 14, 2015). ""Fury and sweetness": A conversation with spoken word artist Andrea Gibson about slam poetry". The University Daily Kansan. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  23. ^ Miller, Julius (July 15, 2025). "Andrea Gibson, poet and the subject of an award-winning documentary, dies at 49". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  24. ^ "Governor Polis Announces Colorado Author as New Poet Laureate". Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  25. ^ Kish, Robin (August 15, 2022). "Megan Falley Proposed To Andrea Gibson & We Are Sobbing Rainbow Tears". GO. Archived from the original on January 18, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  26. ^ Gibson, Andrea (October 11, 2017). "Andrea Gibson: 'Genderqueer is a Constant Coming Out'". Out. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  27. ^ Shaw, Caroline (January 30, 2018). "Andrea Gibson to combine music and poetry at the M-Shop". Iowa State Daily. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  28. ^ Gibson, Andrea (July 12, 2016). "On Illness, Belief, and Saying Yes". The Body is Not an Apology. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  29. ^ Gibson, Andrea [@andreagibson]; (August 2, 2022). "Thank you so much for your love and understanding, everyone. Ticket refunds will be offered for all shows through point of purchase or ticketing provider. Please consider following and supporting the gorgeous music of @chrispureka @andyalseri and @merle_hazard who were scheduled to be on tour with me this fall. Love, A ❤️❤️❤️" – via Instagram.
  30. ^ Doyle, Glennon; Wambach, Abby; Doyle, Amanda (June 1, 2023). "215. The Bravest Conversation We've Had: Andrea Gibson". We Can Do Hard Things (Podcast). Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  31. ^ Gardner, Chris (February 2, 2025). "Ryan White's Documentary 'Come See Me in the Good Light' Wins Sundance Festival Favorite Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  32. ^ Gardner, Chris (January 25, 2025). "Sara Bareilles Debuts World Premiere of Song Co-Written by Brandi Carlile at Sundance". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  33. ^ Means, Sean P. (February 2, 2025). "A real-life love story wins 'Festival Favorite' prize at Sundance". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  34. ^ Lezra, Billy (March 1, 2020). "In Conversation with Andrea Gibson". Rough Cut Press. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  35. ^ Kergil, Skylar (January 11, 2018). "This Queer Slam Poet Fires Back at Binary Gender Norms". Them. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  36. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (April 3, 2013). "Poet and Activist, Andrea Gibson: The Autostraddle Interview". Autostraddle. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  37. ^ Stephens, Ronnie K. (February 14, 2019). "'Lord of the Butterflies' by Andrea Gibson". Lambda Literary Review. Lambda Literary. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  38. ^ de Castro, Daniel S. (November 9, 2021). "'You Better Be Lightning' Review: Andrea Gibson Explores Love in the Real World". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  39. ^ Hoffert, Barbara (November 1, 2021). "You Better Be Lightning". Library Journal. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  40. ^ Sharp, Cynthia (August 18, 2022). "Honest Enough to Strike Them: A Review of Andrea Gibson's "You Better Be Lightning"". Prism International. Archived from the original on August 30, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
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