The annual Polari Prize, a literary award established to celebrate LGBTQ+ writing, has been cancelled this year following controversy surrounding comments made by one of its nominated authors.
John Boyne, renowned for his novel “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,” was longlisted for the Polari Prize earlier this month for his latest work, “Earth.”
However, his nomination prompted several other longlisted authors to request their removal from consideration, citing objections to an article penned by Boyne defending J.K. Rowling’s views on transgender issues and women’s rights. In addition, over 800 publishing professionals signed an open letter expressing their criticism of his nomination.
In light of the controversy, the Polari Prize organizers have announced the cancellation of this year’s award, with hopes to resume the prize in 2026.
Prior to the prize’s cancellation, Boyne issued a statement asserting that his “views on trans rights have never changed” and that he had been subjected to “endless harassment at the hands of both strangers and fellow writers.”
The Polari Prize, founded in 2011, is open to writers born or residing in the UK or Ireland whose work explores themes related to LGBTQ+ life.
Initially, the prize consisted of a single annual award recognizing the best debut book. In 2019, a second award was introduced to honor the overall book of the year.
In an article published in the Irish Independent on July 27th, Boyne, who identifies as gay, voiced his support for “Harry Potter” author Rowling, whose views on the intersection of trans rights and the protection of women’s spaces have sparked considerable debate in recent years.
Boyne identified himself as a “fellow TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) and argued that Rowling had been unfairly “pilloried” for her stance.
He further suggested that women who had publicly disagreed with Rowling were “astonishingly complicit in their own erasure,” drawing a comparison to the commander’s wife in “The Handmaid’s Tale” who is “ready to pin a handmaiden down as her husband rapes her.”
“Rowling’s critics claim she is transphobic, the greatest sin of our time, and use the usual tedious hyperbole to demonise her,” Boyne stated.
He noted, however, that her supporters were encouraged by her “advocacy” on issues such as women being “entitled to safe spaces.”
The longlist for the Polari Prize was announced on August 1st, and in the days that followed, several nominated authors withdrew their names in protest of Boyne’s inclusion.
Sacha Coward stated that he could not “continue in good faith” to participate in an event that was supposed to “celebrate inclusion, not exclusion and division.”
Fellow nominee Mae Diansangu described Boyne’s views as “disgusting.”
Another longlisted writer, Jason Okundaye, authored an article in The Guardian, characterizing Boyne’s views as “abhorrent” and withdrawing his nomination due to feeling “misled about the principles underpinning the organization.”
In total, more than 10 longlisted authors, out of a pool of 24, withdrew their nominations.
The publishing industry figures who signed the open letter expressed their “profound disappointment” with Boyne’s inclusion, deeming his comments “inappropriate and hurtful” and “incompatible with the LGBTQ+ community’s most basic standards of inclusion.”
Nicola Dinan, one of the prize’s own judges and the winner of last year’s First Book award, also resigned from this year’s panel in protest.
However, Dr. Avi Ben-Zeev, the only trans author on the longlist, announced his intention to remain, telling PinkNews that while he supported those who had withdrawn, there was “nothing more trans-exclusionary… than to see people like me disappear… if I walk away, I’m erasing my trans story.”
Following Dinan’s resignation, the Polari Prize stated that it “completely understands and respect her decision.”
Despite the controversy, Boyne remained on the longlist at that point, with organizers noting in a statement: “Even within our community, we can at times hold radically different positions on substantive issues. This is one of those times.”
The prize affirmed its “commitment to inclusion,” adding that “while we do not eliminate books based on the wider views of a writer, we regret the upset and hurt this has caused.”
Boyne subsequently released a statement reaffirming his views and thanking the Polari Prize for “standing strong in the face of extraordinary intimidation.”
He stated that he had been subjected to “an extraordinary amount of bullying and intimidation,” which had pushed him “close to the edge.”
He also encouraged the authors who had withdrawn to reconsider, suggesting that if they did so, he would request that the prize’s judges refrain from selecting his own book for the shortlist.
However, on Monday, the Polari Prize announced that this year’s award would not proceed.
“What was supposed to be a celebration of exceptional LGBTQ+ literature has been overshadowed by hurt and anger, which has been painful and distressing for all concerned,” the organizers stated, apologizing to “everyone who had been affected.”
Polari stated that it had consulted with authors, judges, stakeholders, and funders, and had “decided to pause the prize this year while we increase the representation of trans and gender non-conforming judges on the panels” and conduct a governance and management review.
The statement concluded by expressing the intention to “endeavour to find a way forwards in good faith.”
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