Karen Tongson

Cultural critic, writer and queer studies scholar

Karen Tongson is the author of Why Karen Carpenter Matters and Relocations: Queer Suburban Imaginaries. In 2019, she received Lambda Literary’s Jeanne Córdova Award for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction for her body of writing. She is Chair of the Department of Gender & Sexuality Studies and Professor of gender & sexuality studies, English and American studies & ethnicity at USC.