More publishing madness - from Faber over the Women's Prize

[SmallPug]

www.thebookseller.com/news/faber-publishers-appeal-womens-prize-revisit-new-gender-criteria-rules-1221717?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=Morning%20Briefing%20-%20081020

The whole industry seems captured. The Women's Prize is basically under siege - they've allowed those with a gender recognition certificate to enter, but it's not good enough. Their author (the cause of this) is 'non-binary' so why would she want to enter if she doesn't ID as a woman? When will this madness end.

This looks like an attempt to create some publicity for their writer. No big book launches or book signings except remotely so this is their attempt to drum up attention.

Should have added that I think it is cynical virtue signalling not a sincere attempt to redress an imbalance against non binary or trans writers

Yes you're probably right. But all this cynical virtue signalling contributes to the noise which is getting deafening. It's everywhere, all the time.

Why can't they have a separate category called The Transwomen's Prize? (It could include non binary etc.)

I'd support that.

Photo of the Crufts finalists 2021.

🤣

"The law also conflates all people born ‘of the female sex’ as women, erasing any person who was assigned female at birth and is not a woman"

Whaaaaaaaat??? Why would you enter a Women's Prize competition if you don't identify as a woman?!

Photo of the Crufts finalists 2021.

🤣🐕

Woof.

Whaaaaaaaat??? Why would you enter a Women's Prize competition if you don't identify as a woman?!

It's about being in control of the narrative. 'I am what I say I am and you're not allowed to categorise me. And if you try, I'll say you're wrong. Even if you've only repeated what I said myself.'

“I was born a female Homo sapiens, and grew up to become an adult, and have not undergone any physical alterations of my sex characteristics, but I am not an adult human female, ok?!?!”

“I was born a female Homo sapiens, and grew up to become an adult, and have not undergone any physical alterations of my sex characteristics, but I am not an adult human female, ok?!?!”

(but I would like to enter competitions for adult human females tho please)

@MondayYogurt

Photo of the Crufts finalists 2021.

I'm wondering whether someone should point out to the Women's Prize that their criteria violate the Yogyakarta Principles, specifically the right to privacy, since they would require authors to disclose their trans/ non-binary status to their publishers in order to let them know they should/ shouldn't be submitted. If it were only sex that counted, or if it were only gender identity, it wouldn't arise - but as it is, any OFAB author is potentially assumed to be eligible and is therefore in a tricky position if she feels that her gender identity (or lack of one ) disqualifies her from entering in good faith...

Interesting @softmyrtle. The Yogyakarta principles aren't law though. I think the Women's Prize is just terrible confused. I don't think they know what they want to do. I know that someone working for the WP is totally captured, but not sure about the rest.

Actually, just been reading the other thread and it looks like you have to be legally female (I.e. with birth cert or GRC) so this wasn't quite right... (Although I like the Yogyakarta Principles as you can point out problems with self-ID while being self-righteously woke. )

I dont think the WP quite know what to do and haven't described it well at all. I think they are trying to work within the law - so keeping it to legal women or those with a GRC. But it's not clear. Nor is Faber's statement!

Correct me if I'm wrong but the prize is now open to:

• Women.
• Transwomen (self identified).
• Anyone who is legally female (so women who are Nonbinary Or Aliengender Or Whatever and biological men with a GRC who are NOBOW).

That leaves only two groups who don't qualify:

• Men.
• Men who don't have a GRC but are NOBOW.

So they are complaining that a male (Akwaeke Emezi) who describes themselves as nonbinary can't win the women's prize?

Fuck a duck.

Sorry, clearly that acrony should be NOAOW.

Trying to do two things at once.

Jesus H Christ
What a bunch of utter tosh.
They should just scrap the prize as it’s no longer fit for purpose and organisers don’t even seem to know what its purpose is supposed to be.

Publishing is very wokey now. I know someone who has been in the industry for many years - used to be quite trendy, quirky, full of all sorts of people.

So she got a new job - have come across the ‘They’s. I did mention this particular company before she went there - the company’s reputation has changed - and she scoffed. This is pretty much a daily ‘issue’ - I thought people went to work to work...