Melanie LaForce is a writer and comedian focusing on themes of sex norms and self-acceptance.

LaForce has written featured essays and humor for The Washington Post, Marie Claire, McSweeney’s, and New York Magazine. She is a frequent contributor to BUST. She has trained with and performed improv, sketch, and stand-up at institutions such as The Groundlings, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Second City Chicago, and Flappers.

In 2018, LaForce’s coming-of-age humor essay collection, Corn-Fed: Cul-de-sacs, Keg Stands, and Coming of Age in the Midwest received accolades from publications such as Refinery29 and BUST. She is developing several tv and film projects

LaForce holds a PhD in social psychology and is a former researcher at The University of Chicago, and adjunct faculty at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. She is a retired skater and trainer for Chicago’s Windy City Rollers roller derby league. Her religion is dogs, and she is officially too old to continue drinking Malört.