Over 800 writers and publishing industry experts have called for the removal of John Boyne
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY TERIMAKASIH0 FROM PIXABAY/ CANVA
Fourteen authors and two judges have withdrawn from this year’s Polari Prize, a celebration of LGBTQIA+ literature, due to the inclusion of self-proclaimed “terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) John Boyne. More than 800 writers and publishing industry workers have signed a statement calling for the Polari Prize to remove Boyne from the longlist.
Among those is author Nicola Dinan, who won the Polari First Book Prize last year for her novel Bellies and has resigned from this year’s jury. Fellow judge Bob Hughes has also resigned. Other authors who have spoken out publicly against Boyne’s inclusion include Jason Okundaye and Andrew McMillan.
The open statement, which has been signed by writers like Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman, Fundamentally author Nussaibah Younis and DIVA editor-in-chief and What A Girl Wants author Roxy Bourdillon, reads: “We are profoundly disappointed by the Polari prize’s decision to include John Boyne on the longlist for this year’s Polari book prize. [Boyne] has publicly and unequivocally associated himself with trans exclusionary sentiments. [Boyne’s] public statements on trans rights and identity are incompatible with the LGBTQ+ community’s most basic standards of inclusion.”
It continues: “In 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 – in the context of rising anti-trans hatred and systematic exclusion of trans people from public life in the UK and across the world – is inexcusable.”
Organised by writers Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin and Emma van Straaten, the open letter has also been signed by writers Poorna Bell, K Patrick, Lex Croucher and Daisy Buchanan.
The Polari Prize has responded to the controversy in a statement, writing: “It 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. This is one of those times.”
While the Polari Prize has acknowledged their “sadness” at the decision of many authors to withdraw, they have stated that they will continue with this year’s prize. In a statement to The Guardian, the Polari Prize stated that the “past few weeks have been extremely difficult for the trans and non-binary writers and communities” associated with the award. “The 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.”
The statement continued, “Despite 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’s awards, taking on board the learnings from this year.”
Author Sanah Ahsan has stated publicly that they will not allow their book, I Cannot Be Good Until You Say It, to be included. In an Instagram post, they said: “In times of rampant transphobia – when there are an abundance of gifted queer and trans writers to choose from – platforming this man is a choice. It’s a choice that communicates a clear and dehumanising, anti-trans position.”
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