The Life and Legacy of Felice Picano: A Pioneer of Gay Literature

Felice Picano, a trailblazer in the world of gay literature, passed away on Wednesday in Los Angeles at the age of 81. His death, caused by complications from lymphoma, marks the end of an extraordinary life dedicated to breaking barriers and giving voice to the LGBTQ+ community through his writing and publishing efforts. As a novelist, memoirist, and publisher, Picano played a pivotal role in shaping the golden age of gay literature in the 1970s and ’80s. His work not only reflected the struggles and triumphs of gay life but also helped pave the way for future generations of LGBTQ+ writers and readers.

Early Life and the Foundations of a Literary Career

Born on February 22, 1944, in Queens, New York, Felice Picano grew up in a middle-class Italian American family. From an early age, he exhibited a prodigious talent for writing, astonishing his teachers with an erudite essay on the Iliad at just 11 years old. After graduating from Queens College in 1964, Picano explored various careers, including social work, magazine editing, and even astrology, before finding his true calling as a writer. His personal mantra during this time, as he later wrote in his memoir Nights at Rizzoli, was, “If it feels good, let’s do it. If it feels good and it’s illegal and it makes old people wince, let’s do it twice—and in public if possible.” This rebellious spirit would define much of his life and work.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Picano worked at Rizzoli, a high-end bookstore on Fifth Avenue, where he encountered a parade of literary and cultural luminaries, including Salvador Dalí, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Elton John. These experiences would later inspire many of the anecdotes and characters in his writing. Picano’s early writing career was marked by experimentation and resilience. His first three novels, including the 1975 thriller Eyes, did not explicitly address gay themes, but they laid the groundwork for the bold, unapologetic storytelling that would come to define his later work.

Breaking Ground with Gay Literature

It wasn’t until the publication of The Lure in 1979 that Picano fully embraced gay themes in his writing. The novel, which follows a straight man undercover in the gay world to solve a murder, became a bestseller despite receiving mixed reviews. This success emboldened Picano to tackle even more ambitious projects, including Like People in History, a sweeping narrative that follows two cousins—one gay, one bisexual—from childhood to middle age. Picano later described the book as “100 percent true and 90 percent autobiographical,” reflecting his commitment to authenticity and his belief that gay stories deserved to be told with the same depth and complexity as any others.

Picano’s memoirs were equally groundbreaking. In Ambidextrous: The Secret Lives of Children (1985), he wrote candidly about his childhood, including his early sexual encounters and the brutal treatment he received from a teacher who ridiculed him for writing with both hands. The memoir sparked controversy, with some reviewers refusing to believe that children could have such experiences. Picano’s unflinching honesty, however, helped challenge societal taboos and pave the way for future LGBTQ+ writers to explore their own stories without shame.

A Publisher and a Visionary

In addition to his work as a writer, Felice Picano was a tireless advocate for LGBTQ+ literature. In 1977, he founded Sea Horse Press, which became a platform for publishing the work of other gay writers. Four years later, he co-founded Gay Presses of New York, a venture that would go on to publish 78 books over its 18-year run. Among the press’s most notable releases were Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy and works by Dennis Cooper and Brad Gooch. Picano’s efforts as a publisher were nothing short of revolutionary, as he sought to create a literary landscape where LGBTQ+ voices could be heard and celebrated.

As writer Catherine Texier noted, Picano was both “prominent and prescient” in his efforts to promote gay literature. He was a “literary matchmaker,” connecting writers with readers and helping to build a community around LGBTQ+ storytelling. His work as a publisher also included reissuing important older works, ensuring that the history of gay literature was preserved and accessible to new generations.

Personal Life and Legacy

Picano’s personal life was as colorful as his writing. He was known for his boundless energy, his love of recreational drugs, and his outrageous antics, which he documented in his memoirs. For 15 years, he shared his life with partner Robert Allen Lowe, who succumbed to AIDS-related illnesses in 1991. Picano also Funeral home had a deep connection to the broader LGBTQ+ community, as reflected in his involvement with the Violet Quill, a group of gay male writers that included Andrew Holleran and Edmund White. Together, they met regularly to discuss their work and support one another during a time when gay literature was still struggling to gain mainstream acceptance.

Despite the loss of many friends and colleagues to AIDS, Picano remained a steadfast advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. In his later years, he expressed pride in the progress that had been made, writing in an email last month, “We shared the hope that one day any lesbian or gay teenager could go into any bookstore or library and get a book about his or her own kind. Our dream has come true!” Felice Picano’s legacy is one of courage, creativity, and unwavering commitment to telling the stories that needed to be told. His work continues to inspire writers and readers alike, ensuring that his impact will be felt for generations to come.