Formerly known as the Tiptree Award, the Otherwise Award “honors works of science fiction and fantasy that expand and explore our understanding of gender.” The winner of the 2025 award is Luminous, by Silvia Park.
Each year’s jury may choose more than one winner for the award, but this year’s panel chose a single book. The jury members who chose Luminous were Eugen Bacon (chair), Andrew Hook, Cheryl S. Ntumy, K. Ibura, and Rebecca Fraimow
As the Otherwise website explains:
The jury unanimously agreed that Silvia Park’s gripping science fiction novel Luminous is a diverse and immersive read that is exceptionally well-crafted. With deep and complex worldbuilding, this work intelligently and realistically explores a range of identities and themes across gender expression, AI, robotics, trans identity, embodiment, dysphoria, disability, and relationships among humans, as well as humanity’s relationship with ‘the other’. The novel casts a crucial gaze at layered societal expectations around masculinity and femininity, and beautifully examines the quest for community and connection.
The jury chose five books for the Honor List:
- What a Fish Looks Like, by Syr Hayati Beker (Stelliform Press)
- A Song for You and I, by K. O’Neill (Random House Graphic)
- The Path of Most Resistance: Poems on Women in Science, by Jessy Randall, illustrated by Kristin DiVona (Gold SF)
- Notes from a Regicide, by Isaac Fellman (Tor Books)
- Algarabía, by Roque Raquel Salas Rivera (Graywolf Press)
They also chose seven works for the Long List:
- The Everlasting, by Alix E. Harrow (Tor)
- “möbius loop,” by Samir Sirk Morató (khōréō)
- Some Body Like Me, by Lucy Lapinska (Gollancz)
- Amplitudes: Stories of Queer and Trans Futurity, edited by Lee Mandelo (Erewhon). Authors: Esther Alter, Bendi Barrett, Ta-wei Chi (translated by Ariel Chu), Colin Dean, Maya Deane, Dominique Dickey, Katharine Duckett, Meg Elison, Paul Evanby, Aysha U. Farah, Sarah Gailey, Ash Huang, Margaret Killjoy, Wen-yi Lee, Ewen Ma, Jamie McGhee, Sam J. Miller, Aiki Mira (translated by CD Covington), Sunny Moraine, Nat X Ray, Neon Yang, Ramez Yoakeim
- Boy Island, by Leo Fox (Silver Sprocket, 2024)
- The Ghost and the Golem, by Benjamin Rosenbaum (Choice of Games, 2024)
- Part Time Girl, by Adriaan Brae (Presses Renaissance Press)
The winner of the Otherwise award receives an unspecified financial award and a medal, and will be honored during a gala at WisCon 2026. This year’s WisCon takes place entirely online, May 21 to 25.
