02-08-2025
Book festival boss criticised over lack of invite for authors of gender critical books
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.
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.
The event's theme this year is 'Repair', suggesting an open forum for receiving conflicting views, potentially leading to some form of consensus.
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.
In an email response, the CEO said: 'We appreciate you taking the time to write to us, and acknowledge that you feel that we've missed the mark in this situation.
'As you would know as an audience member, we work very hard to ensure that the conversations that happen on our stages are rigorous, informed and fair.
'As you can see from the range of other challenging topics addressed in the programme, we don't shy away from difficult conversation.
'However, at present, the tenor of the discussion in the media and online on this particular subject feels extremely divisive.
'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.'
It added: 'Given the inflammatory tone of a great deal of media – on all 'sides' of this discussion – we did not feel it to be the right move for us to host a conversation which appeared to pit the rights of one minoritised group against another.'
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon - a fierce advocate of gender-ID policy - has been handed a speaking slot at the Festival, which runs until 24 August, to launch her as yet unpublished autobiography, 'Frankly'.
Her former Chief of Staff Liz Lloyd became a director of the event earlier this year.
The authors of 'The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht', Susan Dalgety and Lucy Hunter Blackburn said they doubted whether Ms Niven had even read their bestselling book.
Ms Dalgety said: 'If she had, she would know it is neither divisive nor inflammatory. It's a significant book which captures an important period in Scotland's recent political and cultural life through the voices of more than 30 women.
'It is thoughtful, at times challenging but always respectful. We are disappointed therefore that we were not given the opportunity to discuss it in our own city.
'But if EIBF does not want to hear our voices, perhaps they will heed the words of John Swinney (the First Minister) who last week said our society is healthier when we can all express our views particularly on issues of the greatest sensitivity.
'By cancelling us, the book festival has failed in one of its core principals – to provide a platform for nuanced conversations between people with diverse views and experiences.'
The Book Festival said they did have gender critical authors involved but did not name them.
A spokeswoman said: 'The Edinburgh International Book Festival is committed to hosting a broad range of nuanced and informed conversations.
'Our 2025 programme includes authors with a diverse range of perspectives on many subjects.
'In this year's festival, authors who hold gender-critical views and authors who are trans are both represented in the programme.
'However, the focus of their events is on their specific books and literary work, including fiction, rather than on the topic of gender politics.
'While our festival theme of 'repair' is broad, programming a major festival requires difficult choices about which big themes to cover in-depth.
'For this year, we have chosen to prioritise other important conversations related to repair, such as geopolitics.'
