Taylor, Zmith win 2022 Polari Prizes

In the UK, writers Joelle Taylor and Adam Zmith have won the 2022 Polari Prizes for work that explores the LGBT experience, reports the Bookseller.

Taylor won the £2000 (A$3642) Polari Prize for her poetry collection C+nto & Othered Poems (The Westbourne Press). The judges said: ‘C+nto will open eyes, hearts and minds. Here is poetry that defends our right to walk without fear, wear what we choose, be who we uniquely are. A clear Polari Prize winner.’

Zmith won the £1000 (A$1821) Polari First Book Prize for Deep Sniff (Watkins), his history of poppers and their role in queer life. The judges ‘all agreed that this was a witty, well-researched and ground-breaking book which honours our queer past while also looking to the future.’

Ian Eagleton and James Mayhew were also named winners of the inaugural Polari Children’s and YA Prize for Nen and the Lonely Fisherman (Owlet Press), praised by judges as being ‘important and radical’.

The winners were chosen from shortlists announced earlier this year.

Category: International news