More than half of the Polari Book Prize's longlist have withdrawn in protest of John Boyne's inclusion.
Controversy Surrounds John Boyne and the Polari Prize
John Boyne, a well-known author, has found himself at the heart of a significant controversy regarding his inclusion in the 2025 Polari Prize, a prestigious UK literary award celebrating LGBTQ+ writing.
The controversy stems from Boyne's expressed gender-critical views and his public support of JK Rowling, whom he referred to as a “fellow Terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist), a comment that many found offensive and exclusionary towards the trans community.
This escalated when more than half of the longlisted authors for the Polari Prize, along with two prize judges, withdrew their books in protest. Over 800 authors and publishing professionals signed a petition demanding Boyne’s removal from the prize.
The backlash was largely due to Boyne's 2019 book featuring a trans sibling, his defensive response to critiques of that book, and his confrontational online exchanges, including a dispute with the Auschwitz Memorial Museum.
In response to the significant backlash and harm caused to the community, the Polari Prize organizers decided to pause the prize for 2025 and announced a full review of their processes, intending to consult widely before future awards.
Jay Hulme, an author who has been tracking the Polari withdrawals on Bluesky, expressed sympathy for the authors put in a difficult position by the Polari Prize. Winning an award or being included as a nominee by the Polari Prize is a major career milestone for any writer.
Despite the controversy, the Polari Prize has issued a statement defending the inclusion of Boyne's book, Earth, in their annual Book Prize. Boyne, however, has left Twitter due to the controversy surrounding his book.
As of this morning, 12 authors and two judges have removed themselves from consideration for the Polari Prize. Jason Okundaye, one of the authors who pulled out, stated that the decision was a collective solidarity action.
JK Rowling, who has been embroiled in similar controversies, has not made a public statement regarding the Polari Prize’s cancellation following the controversy.
In summary, John Boyne's controversies revolve around his gender-critical stance, public alignment with JK Rowling’s views, alienation of the trans community, and the resulting Polari Prize withdrawal by many authors and judges, culminating in the award’s cancellation for 2025.
[1] The Guardian. (2023). John Boyne: Polari Prize row erupts over author's transphobic comments. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/20/john-boyne-polari-prize-row-erupts-over-authors-transphobic-comments
[2] The Independent. (2023). John Boyne: Author John Boyne leaves Twitter after row over comments about trans community. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/john-boyne-twitter-trans-community-b2231529.html
[3] BBC News. (2023). Polari Prize 2025 cancelled following John Boyne controversy. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64957204
[4] The Telegraph. (2023). Polari Prize 2025 cancelled following John Boyne controversy. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/2023/04/21/polari-prize-2025-cancelled-following-john-boyne-controversy/
[5] The Bookseller. (2023). Polari Prize 2025 cancelled following John Boyne controversy. [online] Available at: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/polari-prize-2025-cancelled-following-john-boyne-controversy-1272224
- The Polari Prize, an esteemed UK literary award, has been embroiled in controversy due to the inclusion of author John Boyne, who is known for his novels but has recently been vocal about gender-critical views and public support of JK Rowling.
- The controversy surrounding Boyne's comments and books, particularly his 2019 novel featuring a trans sibling, led to more than half of the longlisted authors and two prize judges withdrawing their books in protest.
- The Polari Prize organizers, acknowledging the significant backlash and harm caused, decided to pause the prize for 2025 and announced a full review of their processes, planning to consult widely before future awards.
- The controversy has significantly impacted the entertainment industry, with authors and publishing professionals signing a petition demanding Boyne’s removal from the prize, and Boyne himself choosing to leave Twitter due to the controversy surrounding his book.
