BOULDER, Colo. — July 14, 2025 — Andrea Gibson, a groundbreaking spoken word poet and beloved LGBTQ+ activist whose work helped redefine contemporary poetry through powerful themes of gender, identity, love, and justice, has died following a prolonged battle with ovarian cancer. They were 49.
Gibson passed away on Sunday at their home in Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement released by family and close friends. Their death comes nearly three years after publicly revealing their cancer diagnosis and nearly two decades after they became a defining voice in American spoken word poetry.
A native of Calais, Maine, Gibson emerged in the early 2000s as a dynamic force in the poetry slam scene. With a voice that blended vulnerability, urgency, and fierce compassion, they quickly became a mainstay of national spoken word stages. Gibson’s performances, often seen on platforms like Button Poetry, fused deeply personal narrative with political commentary, tackling subjects such as gender identity, queerness, mental health, and anti-war activism.
Gibson identified outside the traditional gender binary and used they/them pronouns. They frequently explored their identity in both writing and public life, pushing for broader understanding of gender fluidity long before it entered mainstream discourse.
“I don’t necessarily identify within a gender binary,” Gibson once said. “I’ve never 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.”
Gibson’s literary contributions were prolific. Their debut collection Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns (2008) announced their arrival as a fearless voice. That was followed by acclaimed works including The Madness Vase, Pansy, Lord of the Butterflies, and the popular quote collection Take Me With You. Their spoken word albums—Truce, Hey Galaxy, Yellowbird, and Flower Boy—further expanded their audience.
In 2025, the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Festival Favorite Award. The film offered a candid, deeply emotional portrait of Gibson’s life, work, and struggle with illness.
Beyond poetry, Gibson was an unrelenting activist. For over two decades, they participated in Take Back the Night events and worked with radical feminist performance troupe Vox Feminista. In 2013, they co-founded Stay Here With Me, a mental health support space aimed at suicide prevention and fostering community resilience.
Throughout their career, Gibson’s poetry was widely praised for bridging personal pain with collective healing, inspiring thousands of fans and fellow poets alike. Influenced by artists such as Sonya Renee Taylor, Derrick Brown, Patricia Smith, and Mary Oliver, Gibson’s work carried the emotional heft of the confessional, blended with the boldness of protest.
“They were the poet you turned to when your heart broke, when your identity felt shaky, when the world felt heavy and unjust,” said one longtime fan on social media. “Andrea made us feel seen and loved—no matter who we were.”
Born on August 13, 1975, Gibson grew up in a conservative Baptist home in rural Maine. They later attended Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. After spending time in New Orleans, Gibson moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 1999, where they began attending open mic nights and discovered their voice in performance poetry.
They also spoke openly about living with Chronic Lyme Disease, advocating for recognition of chronic illnesses and accessibility in healthcare.
Andrea Gibson is survived by their sister, Laura, and a devoted global community of readers, listeners, and fellow artists. As tributes continue to pour in from fans and collaborators, Gibson’s legacy is firmly etched in the literary and activist landscapes they helped transform.
“Their words saved lives. Their courage changed minds. Their love changed hearts,” one mourner wrote. “Andrea Gibson didn’t just write poetry—they were poetry.”
Memorial plans will be announced in the coming days.
