The Polari Prize, now in its fifteenth year, has announced the long list of nominees for their 2025 awards.
Each year the British prize awards works of literature with LGBTIQA+ themes, it’s two main awards are the Polari Prize and the Polari First Book Prize for a debut publication which focusses on new authors.
This year’s announcement has been thrown into controversy with several authors asking for their work to be removed from consideration, and a former winner resigning from the judging panel.
Concern over John Boyne being included in the nominations
The action is in response to author John Boyne’s novel Earth being including amongst the nominees, critics say statements made by Boyne are transphobic and go against the values of the award.
Boyne is best known for his 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, which was adapted into a feature film. He previously received criticism over his 2019 novel My Brother’s Name Is Jessica over his portrayal of transgender people and misgendering of characters in the novel.
At the time Boyne said he rejected the term ‘cis-gendered’.
“I don’t consider myself a cis man; I consider myself a man.” He added that “while I will happily employ any term that a person feels best defines them… I reject the notion that someone can force an unwanted term on to another” he said during an interview.
Over recent years the author has said he would proudly described himself as a “fellow TERF” making the claim in an article he wrote in support of author J.K. Rowling.
Boyne’s novella Earth is the work nominated for the prize, it’s part of a series of four short works collectively known as The Elements. The series looks as the topic of child sexual abuse from a different perspective. The series takes the perspectives of an enabler (Water), a complicit observer (Earth), a perpetrator (Fire) and a victim (Air).
The author has previously publicly spoken abut his own experiences of sexual abuse recounting that he was assaulted by a teacher when he was a high school student.
Over his career Boyne has published many novels, the upcoming The Elements, which collates his four novellas, will be his fifteenth adult work. He’s also published an additional six works for young readers, and many shorter works.
Judge resigns and authors ask for their books to be withdrawn from consideration
Nicola Dinan, who was a previous winner of the First Book award, has resigned from the judges panel of this year’s award in protest over Boyne’s nomination.
Author Sacha Coward has asked for his book Queer as Folklore to be removed, as has Mae Diansangu who was included for her debut novel Bloodsongs. Jason Okundaye has withdrawn his work Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain, and Amy Twigg author of Spoilt Creatures pulled her book from contention too.
Prize organisers say people should embrace different points of view
In response the organisers of the award have released a statement saying the prize was founded on the core principles of diversity and inclusion.
“We are committed to supporting trans right and amplifying trans voices, as demonstrated both in the history of the prize and the Polari salon, where trans and non-binary writers and performers have featured regularly as valued members of the LGBTQ+ writing community.” the statement reads.
“The role of the prize is to discover the best LGBTQ+ books written in the UK and Ireland each year. The books are read and deliberated over by the jury, and progress through the competition stages on the merits of craft and content.
“The Polari prize is awarded to books in a spirit of celebration of the work and the stories they tell. We have always cherished freedom of expression in our determination to find our voice both as writers and readers.
“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.
“John Boyne’s novel Earth was included on The Polari Prize longlist on merit as judged by our jury, following the process and principles stated above. While we do not eliminate books based on the wider views of a writer, we regret the upset and hurt this has caused.
“Polari is committed to inclusion, not exclusion. The resignation of our valued judge and former First Book Prize-winner Nicola Dinan causes us great sadness. Nonetheless we completely understand and respect her decision.
“Books are one of our best means to explore the most difficult and divisive issues, and we encourage an open dialogue across our community. It remains deeply important to us that trans and non-binary readers and writers feel welcome, safe and supported by the Polari Prize and the Polari Salon and continue to participate in our movement as readers, writers and performers.” the statement said.
High profile authors say the Polari Prize has taken the wrong approach
Author Patrick Ness commented on the organiser’s apology suggesting that people should embrace different points of view on trans rights, posting a scathing response online.
“The Polari Prize issued a statement saying it believes its longlistees can hold ‘different positions on substantive issues.’ This is like long listing a racist with authors of color then telling everyone it’s a mere ‘different position on a substantive issue’. Trans people are a fact. Not an ‘issue’.
“You can’t call yourself “a prize for LGBTQ+ literature” and longlist a self-proclaimed terf. Anyone can give any prize to anyone they like, of course. But don’t pretend you’re a prize for my community when you’re platforming someone who’s actively fighting against it.” Ness wrote.
Online an open letter from authors, publishers, editors and booksellers has been launched condemning the awards approach. The letter was launched by award winning Irish author Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin.
“John Boyne has publicly and unequivocally associated himself with trans exclusionary sentiments, most recently describing himself as a “fellow Terf” in an article for the Irish Independent, celebrating JK Rowling’s 60th birthday (John Boyne on JK Rowling: ‘As a writer, I’m in awe of her achievements. As a reader, I love her work. And as a fellow Terf, I stand four-square behind her’, 27 July 2025).
“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.” the open letter reads.
“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.”
The Polari Book Prize 2025 Longlist
- Earth by John Boyne (Penguin Random House / Doubleday)
- Like Water Like Sea by Olumide Popoola (Bibi Bakare-Yusuf’s Cassava Republic Press)
- Nude Against a Rock by Robert Hamberger (Waterloo Press)
- May Day by Jackie Kay (Pan Macmillan / Picador)
- Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst (Pan Macmillan / Picador)
- Person Unlimited by Dean Atta (Canongate)
- Pity by Andrew McMillan (Canongate)
- Girls, Etc. by Rhian Elizabeth (Broken Sleep Books)
- The Last Doorbell by William Parker (Deixis Press)
- Lifting Off by Karen McLeod (Muswell Press)
- Calling My Deadname Home: The Trans Bear Diaries by Avi Ben Zeev (Muswell Press)
- 3,000 Lesbians Go to York by Jane Traies (Tollington Press)
The Polari First Book Prize 2025 Longlist
- Isaac by Curtis Garner (Verve Books)
Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain by Jason Okundaye (Faber)Queer as Folklore by Sacha Coward (Boundless)- I Cannot Be Good Until You Say It by Sanah Ashan (Bloomsbury)
Spoilt Creatures by Amy Twigg (Hachette Books UK / Tinder Press)Bloodsongs by Mae Diansangu (Tap Salt Eerie)- A Bookshop of One’s Own by Jane Cholmeley (Mudlark)
- Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion by Eleanor Medhurst (Hurst)
- The Diaries of Mr Lucas by Hugo Greenhalgh (Atlantic Books)
- Mongrel by Hanako Footman (Footnote Press)
- Impossible Heat by Chiara Maguire (Bad Betty Press)
- A Place of Our Own by June Thomas (Hachette UK / Little Brown)
OUTinPerth has reached out to John Boyne’s representatives for comment.
