The 2025 Polari Prize was put on hold after John Boyne's novel Earth was long-listed shortly after he described himself as a "TERF." Several nominated writers withdrew in protest of Boyne's inclusion. The organisation said the ceremony had been "overshadowed by hurt and anger" and "painful and distressing for all concerned," and pledged a policy review to better support LGBTQ+ writers and to increase representation of trans and gender non-conforming judges. JK Rowling publicly defended Boyne, said the cancellation made her "both sad and angry," and accused his opponents of lying about him.
The organisation wrote in a subsequent statement that this year's proceedings would be put on hold after the ceremony had been "overshadowed by hurt and anger", which, it said, had been "painful and distressing for all concerned." Officials pledged to undertake a review of its policies to better support LGBTQ+ authors and to "increase representation of trans and gender non-conforming judges."
Weighing in on the controversy, JK Rowling wrote that the cancellation had made her "both sad and angry" in an X/Twitter post, further accusing opponents to Boyne's views of lying about him. "An incredibly talented writer and a thoroughly decent human being (the two are by no means synonymous, as we know) traduced by tinpot tyrants without an ounce of his talent or integrity," she wrote.
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