Queer poet Andrea Gibson dies aged 49

Queer poet Andrea Gibson, best known as the subject of documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, has passed away aged 49, a social media post has confirmed.

Andrea Gibson, author of seven poetry books and seven spoken word albums exploring themes of gender norms, politics, social justice, and more, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August 2021.

In a post on the Colorado Poet Laureate’s Facebook page, the gender-neutral poet was announced to have sadly passed away 14 July.

Andrea died at home, “surrounded by their wife, Meg, four ex-girlfriends, their mother and father, dozens of friends, and their three beloved dogs.”

“Whenever I leave this world, whether it’s sixty years from now, I wouldn’t want anyone to say I lost some battle. I’ll be a winner that day,” read a quote from Gibson at the start of the post.

The post, which was accompanied by a photo of Gibson with their dogs, stated: “Andrea Gibson accomplished much on their 49 years on this planet. Though Andrea desperately wished to have lived a longer life, they could not have possibly lived a fuller one.

“Since learning they had cancer in 2021, Andrea has been a champion of finding beauty in unlikely places and gratitude in the hardest hours. Over the last four years, they danced with their diagnosis, and continually aimed their internal compass toward joy. One of the last things Andrea said on this plane was, ‘I f**king loved my life.'”

The post continued: “Not long ago, Andrea wrote a poem titled Love Letter From the Afterlife. In it, they offered this line: “I am more here than I ever was before. I am more with you than I ever could have imagined.” Today, and all days forward, we hope you feel Andrea’s enormous spirit and immense presence beside you…

“Andrea would want you to know that they got their wish. In the end, their heart was covered in stretch marks.”

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of @andreagibson, an inspiring poet and Colorado’s current Poet Laureate. Renowned for inspiring poetry, advocacy for arts in education, and a unique ability to connect with the vast and diverse poetry lovers of Colorado, Andrea was… pic.twitter.com/07N9dysOSn

— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) July 14, 2025

Andrea Gibson has been mourned by many, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who named them Poet Laureate of the state. He wrote that Gibson was, “truly one of a kind and will be deeply missed.

Known for their poetry and spoken word performances, Gibson was also the subject of 2025 documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which won the Festival Film Favourite Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

The film focused on Gibson and their experience with cancer.

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