{"id":62143,"date":"2025-08-11T19:09:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T19:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/62143\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T19:09:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T19:09:10","slug":"polari-prize-nominees-and-judges-withdraw-after-inclusion-of-john-boyne-over-gender-identity-views-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/62143\/","title":{"rendered":"Polari prize nominees and judges withdraw after inclusion of John Boyne over gender identity views | Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ten authors nominated for this year\u2019s Polari prizes, a set of UK awards celebrating LGBTQ+ literature, have withdrawn from the awards over the longlisting of John Boyne<\/a>, who has described himself as a \u201cTerf\u201d \u2013 the acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist.<\/p>\n

Two judges have also withdrawn from the prize process, and more than 800 writers and publishing industry workers have signed a statement calling on Polari to formally remove Boyne from the longlist. Boyne, who was longlisted for the main Polari book prize for his novella Earth, is best known for his 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.<\/p>\n

Author Nicola Dinan, who won the Polari first book prize last year for her novel Bellies, resigned from this year\u2019s jury for the debut prize. Guardian journalist Jason Okundaye asked for his book Revolutionary Acts<\/a> to be removed from this year\u2019s first book prize longlist, while Andrew McMillan withdrew his book Pity<\/a> from the longlist for the overall Polari book prize for non-debuts.<\/p>\n

Heartstopper author Alice Oseman along with the writers Nikesh Shukla, Julia Armfield, Naoise Dolan, Se\u00e1n Hewitt and Kirsty Logan are among the hundreds to have signed the statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are profoundly disappointed by the Polari prize\u2019s decision to include John Boyne on the longlist for this year\u2019s Polari book prize,\u201d it reads. Boyne \u201chas publicly and unequivocally associated himself with trans exclusionary sentiments\u201d, it continues, citing an Irish Independent article<\/a> in which Boyne expresses support for JK Rowling and describes himself as a \u201cfellow Terf\u201d. Boyne declined to comment.<\/p>\n

Boyne\u2019s \u201cpublic statements on trans rights and identity are incompatible with the LGBTQ+ community\u2019s most basic standards of inclusion\u201d, the statement continues. \u201cIn any year, the decision to include Mr Boyne on the longlist would be, in our view, inappropriate and hurtful to the wider community of LGBTQ+ readers and writers. That the decision has been made this year \u2013 in the context of rising anti-trans hatred and systematic exclusion of trans people from public life in the UK and across the world \u2013 is inexcusable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s statement was drafted in response to one made by the Polari prize<\/a> on 7 August. \u201cIt is inevitable given the challenges we face and the diversity of the lived experience we now represent under the LGBTQ+ Polari umbrella, that even within our community, we can at times hold radically different positions on substantive issues,\u201d it says. \u201cThis is one of those times.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement to the Guardian on Monday, the Polari prize added that the \u201cpast few weeks have been extremely difficult for the trans and non-binary writers and communities\u201d associated with the award. \u201cThe hurt and anger caused has been a matter of deep concern to everyone associated with the prize, for which we sincerely apologise. We accept and respect the decisions of those writers and judges who have chosen to withdraw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite these events, we are committed to going forward with the prize this year. However, we will be undertaking a full review of the prize processes, consulting representatives from across the community ahead of next year\u2019s awards, taking on board the learnings from this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Polari prize was founded by journalist Paul Burston in 2011. The longlists for this year\u2019s prize were published on 1 August, with the shortlists due to be announced in late September and the winners on 27 November.<\/p>\n

The statement in response, which garnered 821 signatures, was organised by the writers Niamh N\u00ed Mhaoileoin and Emma van Straaten. \u201cWe want there to be a literary prize that recognises the vital importance of queer and trans stories,\u201d it concludes. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re calling on the Polari prize to formally remove Mr Boyne from the longlist, to restore the integrity of this prize as a safe, inclusive and celebratory space for the LGBTQ+ community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other signatories include the writers Nussaibah Younis, Poorna Bell, Daisy Buchanan, K Patrick and Lex Croucher.<\/p>\n