A statement regarding eligibility for the Women's Prize for Fiction

In Australia, the Stella prize for women’s writing takes entries from trans women, non-binary and cis women writers and does not require any statement beyond an author’s self identification, because “we recognise that what it means to be a woman is not static”.

This definitely excludes transmen.

Static?

How did human beings manage to exist on this planet for so long..?

Did anyone see this gem at the end of the Guardian article?

In Australia, the Stella prize for women’s writing takes entries from trans women, non-binary and cis women writers and does not require any statement beyond an author’s self identification, because “we recognise that what it means to be a woman is not static”. Meanwhile, a new US literary award, the Carol Shields prize for fiction, will celebrate “excellence in fiction” by female and non-binary writers.

I would think so. What a holy mess these people have created for themselves.

Sorry if this has been mentioned before -- but am I right in thinking that this excludes transmen, aka females?

Thanks for the corrections for my post saying the current gender change law requires surgery. It does not - I just checked, sorry to confuse anyone. I had thought it did - may be that was just considered when it was brought in in.

Wiki has a good summary which i put as much to remind me of the rules not anyone else...

"Since 4 April 2005, as per the Gender Recognition Act 2004, it is possible for transgender people to change their legal gender in the UK. Transgender people must present evidence to a Gender Recognition Panel, which considers their case and issues a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC); they must have transitioned two years before a GRC is issued.

It is not a requirement for sex reassignment surgery to have taken place. However, such surgery will be accepted as part of the supporting evidence for a case where it has taken place.

There is formal approval of medical gender reassignment available either on the National Health Service (NHS) or privately. If the person's birth or adoption was registered in the United Kingdom, they may also be issued a new birth certificate after their details have been entered onto the Gender Recognition Register.

In contrast to some systems elsewhere in the world, the gender recognition process does not require applicants to be post-operative.

They need only to demonstrate to the Gender Recognition Panel that they have suffered gender dysphoria, have lived as "your new gender" for two years, and intend to continue doing so until death. "

The Booker was first awarded in 1969 so out of 50 winners 20 were female so it's not even the case that women weren't being treated fairly by the Booker judges.

Interesting that (when reading all replies, I answered first, sorry ) this appears to have been 'clarified' to be anyone with female on their birth certificate. So 'cis' women and transwomen with a GRC only. This will NOT please transactivists at all if thats what they were hoping for. Though it does make it a little fairer on women, in that its not open to all males, only those who have gone through the GRC process, they might be about to learn that giving an inch does not work at all with TRAs. I hope they are ready for the onslaught they will get for being 'inclusive' but not inclusive enough..

As they are for female people.

Those 'non binary' people who are female would also qualify should they wish to. However, not 'non binary' males. No males at all, regardless of struggles or whatever they might possibly have had to face. A woman is not just someone who has been disadvantaged in some way (not saying you said this btw, just incase!)

Xenia this isn’t the case, you do not need to have any surgery at all to get a GRC and it is unusual to have surgery, most transpeople do not.

It's also not clear that they would insist that somebody had a GRC, as the term 'transgender' does not imply that.

Transitional by Munroe Bergoff - it’s bound to win!

Maybe you have to choose a name usually associated with women. Would that fulfil living as a woman?

It is really hard choosing a name. Some believe adopting a name normally associated with the opposite sex completely changes your sex.

Get rid of that Shakespeare line 'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet'. It is obviously false. It is a widely know fact that if I call a rose a potato, I can make lovely chips and mash out of it.

Actually, I might plonk the newspaper down in front of the family tonight and say 'here is a lovely roast dinner with all the trimmings'.

If it is based on a birth certificate or GRC then I am fine with that. It’s going to upset the Twitterati when they realise.

Stupid question, but is there a difference between a transgender woman and a transwoman? I first thought that by transgender woman, they meant a woman who was transgender (identifies as a man), whereas if they said transwoman, that would mean a man who identifies as a woman. And I thought that was ok as it meant women who identified as other than female would be included in that. But I think now I have understood it wrongly. And both of those things mean men identifying as women? Which I agree shouldn't be allowed. I think a lot of general public might not understand either though and make the same mistakes I did.

Seems pretty straightforward to me. It's not self definition as a woman but legal definition. You can't just enter competition as a woman who decides that on the day you'll be a woman. You have to be living as a woman. If there's doubt that a man has entered the competition but for the sake of it called himself a woman then they won't have the legal backing & so would be disqualified.

That makes sense to me

Abs, that is very helpful and really what my second post on this thread had construed from the original statement. My only uncertainty was if "transgender" included self declaration rather than a legal change and they have made it clear it does not.

In that case I have no problem with the rules .

"'The Trustees of the Women's Prize Trust would like to reassert that we are firmly opposed to any form of discrimination or prejudice on the basis of race, sexuality or gender identity.'"

But not sexism

The trouble is, if they let a transgender woman win, it actually works in their favour, because most people say "great" without thinking very deeply about it. What no one notices is that trans men continue not to win the men's prize because, guess what? They're women.

The Trustees of the Women's Prize Trust would like to reassert that we are firmly opposed to any form of discrimination or prejudice on the basis of race, sexuality or gender identity

So basically, this is a prize which anyone - female or male - can enter ...

Even the guardian is having a time with making out the last paragraph.