The Polari Prize, a UK literary award celebrating LGBTQ+ writing, has announced that it will “pause” this year’s competition following a mass boycott over the inclusion of Irish author John Boyne, a self-described “terf”.

After the longlist was announced on August 1, including a novella by John Boyne, over half of the nominated authors pulled out of the literary prize, with two judges also resigning. In addition, a petition was launched and signed by over 800 writers and publishing industry professionals, calling on organisers to remove Boyne from the longlist.

In a statement released yesterday, August 18, organisers of the Polari literary prize said that the competition would be “paused” this year. “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, and we apologise to everyone who has been affected,” it said.

Polari added that they would use the time provided by the cancellation of this year’s prize to increase the number of trans people on the judging panel. “We will also explore discussions about the tensions between the claims of freedom of expression and the need to create inclusive and supportive spaces in a world hostile to our trans community members and our community at large,” organisers said.

This statement followed a previous one released by organisers on August 7, saying that they were “committed to inclusion, not exclusion” and that it was important to include “radically different positions on substantive issues.”

However, many argued that Boyne’s exclusionary views had no place in a literary prize meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ writing. Boyne, who is most known for his 2006 bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, recently wrote a birthday tribute to JK Rowling published in the Irish Independent, in which he described himself as a “fellow Terf” and stated, “I stand four-square behind her”. He also attracted controversy over his portrayal of a trans character in his 2019 young adult novel My Brother’s Name Is Jessica.

A letter accompanying the petition calling for Boyne’s exclusion from the Polari Prize stated that the author’s inclusion contravened the literary competition’s founding “principles of diversity and inclusion”.

“Mr Boyne’s public statements on trans rights and identity are incompatible with the LGBTQ+ community’s most basic standards of inclusion. Trans people’s existence and their right to live full public lives as they choose are matters of fact, not questions for debate.”

Prominent signatories to the letter include Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman, alongside writers Nikesh Shukla, Julia Armfield, Naoise Dolan, Seán Hewitt, and Kirsty Logan.

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