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Original poster

Edinburgh International Book Festival has not invited authors of gender critical books

83 replies

IwantToRetire · 03/08/2025 19:05

Scotland’s biggest book festival has provoked fury after claiming the authors of best selling gender critical books have not been invited to take part because the issue is too divisive.

Edinburgh International Book Festival Chief Executive Jenny Niven told a complainer: 'We do not want to be in a position that we are creating events for spectacle or sport, or raising specific people’s identity as a subject of debate.'

The event, part funded by public cash, features 700 authors from 35 different countries across the world but has been criticised for ignoring gender critical voices in the books and speakers it is promoting.

Full article https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14965579/Book-festival-boss-criticised-lack-invite-authors-gender-critical-books.html

See also https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14965583/JENNY-LINDSAY-touch-literary-world-long-ludicrously-one-sided-gender-debate.html

Authors of gender critical books claim festival has 'cancelled' them

The boss of Scotland's biggest book festival has provoked fury after claiming the authors of best selling gender critical books have not been invited to take part because the issue is too divisive.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14965579/Book-festival-boss-criticised-lack-invite-authors-gender-critical-books.html

OP posts:
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AmaryllisNightAndDay · 04/08/2025 11:49

I have tickets for Chimananda Ngozi Adichie. Not very interested in anyone else.

I don't see how the Book Festival can invite Nicola Sturgeon to promote her "warm and revealing memoir" and then claim not to be "controversial".

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 03/08/2025 20:13

LizzieSiddal · 03/08/2025 19:29

Is this not blatant discrimination against authors with GC “beliefs”.

Well yes, but also absolute cowardice because they are saying they dont want contraversy. ie the bullies win.

If the world in the past had been made up of people like this, we would never have discussed and changed attitudes towards, slavery, women's rights, etc., etc..

And worse still is all those who will attend, knowing they are not hearing all voices, but happy to be part of an elite, intellectual gathering.

Almost wish someone would set up and alternative Book Festival. But as usual women are left out and excluded and the majority dont care.

OP posts:
Mischance · 03/08/2025 19:52

And there goes free speech ...........

TheywontletmehavethenameIwant · 03/08/2025 19:50

"One woman, who bought almost £300 of tickets, questioned why the EIBF had ignored one of Scotland’s most significant books from last year, The Women Who Wouldn’t Wheesht, but was platforming queer and trans writers and speakers."

Yep, they've cancelled GC writers. I hope the women above ask's for her £300 back.

LizzieSiddal · 03/08/2025 19:29

Is this not blatant discrimination against authors with GC “beliefs”.

outofdate · 03/08/2025 19:19

Sigh- why am I not surprised by these cowards?

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 03/08/2025 19:16

lechiffre55 · 03/08/2025 19:11

The bloke on the left is not gender critical.

Read the story.

Then you will see why the usual suspects are shown.

Seriously.

Most newspapers, including the DM go for images they think will get attention.

That's the whole point of providing a link is to provide access to the full story.

So many first comments on threads are only about the extracts in the OP which are never ever the whole story.

This shouldn't need to be said!

OP posts:
lechiffre55 · 03/08/2025 19:11

The bloke on the left is not gender critical.

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