Benoit Denizet-Lewis
New America Fellow, 2022
Benoit Denizet-Lewis, National Fellow, is an associate professor at Emerson College and a longtime contributing writer with the New York Times Magazine. He is the author of three previous books, including America Anonymous and the New York Times bestselling Travels With Casey. As a fellow, Denizet-Lewis worked on a new book (for William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins) about transformation and identity change. Tentatively titled We Don’t Know You Anymore, it will explore how and why people change their identities and belief systems, and it will confront contentious ideas about who is changeable—and who has the right to reinvention or redemption.
Selected Work
- How Do You Change Voters’ Minds? Have a Conversation: A feature for the New York Times Magazine about deep canvassing and the potential to reduce prejudice and combat political polarization.
- My Ex-Gay Friend: A profile for the New York Times Magazine of former journalist and activist Michael Glatze, who claimed a trifecta of identity change–of his sexuality, spiritual beliefs, and politics.
- Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety?: A cover story about debilitating anxiety among young people for the New York Times Magazine.
- The Power and Hurt of Growing Up Black and Gay: A review of Saeed Jones's memoir about race, family, and sexual identity in the New York Times.
- For Gay Conservatives, the Trump Era is the Best and Worst of Times: A feature in the New York Times Magazine about LGBT conservatives, including Republican transgender activists, disgruntled former Democrats, and identity-politics-hating college students.