John Boyne was longlisted for the 2025 Polari Prize for his novella Earth. Several longlisted peers and some judges withdrew over his inclusion, prompting organisers to pause the prize. In July Boyne publicly described himself as a "TERF" while defending JK Rowling. He said some 'grown women' who disagree with Rowling are 'astonishingly complicit in their own erasure' and likened them to characters in The Handmaid's Tale 'ready to pin a handmaiden down as her husband rapes her.' Boyne said he did not withdraw and criticised fellow nominees' mindset as "Trumpian." He later posted that "perhaps there is no such thing as LGBTQ+," arguing individuals simply know who they are attracted to and live their lives.
"Perhaps... there IS no such thing as LGBTQ+," Boyne wrote. "There are just individual men & women, each one knowing who they're attracted to & living their lives."
Writing in a column for the Irish Independent, Boyne expressed support for Rowling, claiming that some 'grown women' who publicly disagree with her are 'astonishingly complicit in their own erasure' while comparing them to characters in The Handmaid's Tale who are 'ready to pin a handmaiden down as her husband rapes her.'
Collection
[
|
...
]