Samantha Allen is a GLAAD Award-winning journalist, author, and editor. She earned her Ph.D. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University in 2015 and was the recipient of the Kinsey Institute’s John Money Fellowship for Scholars of Sexology in 2013. Allen's notable works include Love & Estrogen and Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States. Her writing has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Out. She has also appeared on MSNBC, CNN, and NPR’s On the Media.

Allen's journey from a suit-and-tie-wearing Mormon missionary to a celebrated queer author is a testament to her resilience and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. She met her wife in a Kinsey Institute elevator, which she describes as a true queer love story.