Bret Hairston (they/he) is a researcher, writer, artist, and scholar from Columbus, Ohio who is fascinated with Black trans histories, theories, and narratives. Their current work focuses on interrogating how Black trans analytics unveil revised readings of canon works in the Black speculative fiction genre, particularly through concepts of gender fungibility, abject theory, and the physicality of monstrosity. More generally, Bret is also interested in print and material cultures concerning Black trans folks, Caribbean literature, and hidden/ignored archives.

Prior to their arrival at University of Delaware, Bret served as a Global Writing and Speaking Fellow at New York University Shanghai, and was an Allison Davis Undergraduate Research Fellow at Williams College, where he received his B.A. in English with a concentration in Africana studies.

Bret has creative writing and photographic work published in the pan-African literary magazine Lolwe, and a forthcoming peer-reviewed article for Transgender Studies Quarterly.

Outside of academia, Bret enjoys board games, social dancing, and maintaining their Stardew Valley farm.