The Polari Prize has announced it will “pause” its 2025 awards competition following controversy over its inclusion of author and self-proclaimed ‘TERF’ John Boyne in its long list.

In a statement issued on Monday (18 August), organisers of the LGBTQ+ writing award confirmed that this year’s proceedings had been put on hold in the wake of the backlash, which has seen other nominated authors withdraw from the competition.

Public backlash was ignited earlier this month after the Polari Prize included Earth, the latest novel from The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas author Boyne, on its long list.

In July, Boyne described himself as a “TERF” – a trans exclusionary radical feminist – in defence of his friend and fellow author, JK Rowling, whose views on trans issues are well-documented.

Writing in a column for the Irish Independent, Boyne expressed support for the Harry Potter author, claiming that “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.”

Author Sacha Coward, who was nominated for his book Queer as Folklore, was among those who withdrew from the competition in protest at Boyne’s inclusion, writing on X/Twitter that he could not “continue in good faith” to participate in the event.

The Polari Prize issued several statements in the face of the backlash, stating it was committed to the principles of “diversity and inclusion” while defending Boyne’s inclusion as a decision based on “merit as judged by our jury.”

In its latest statement, Polari acknowledged that the awards ceremony had been “overshadowed by hurt and anger”, which it described as “painful and distressing for all concerned.”

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The organisation wrote that it plans to undertake a review of its policies, including its “aims and values”, to better support LGBTQ+ authors from across the community, including trans and non-binary people.

“Many discussions have been undertaken over the last two weeks – with authors, judges, stakeholders, and funders – about the impacts and ramifications of the longlisting of John Boyne’s novel and how we can learn from this experience and move forwards.

“We extend our heartfelt apologies to everyone affected this year, for the disappointment and despair this has caused.”