“Original, genre-defying, hugely entertaining and unapologetically queer" Amrou Al-Kadhi and Kate Davies named Winners of the 2020 Polari Prizes
Polari Prize 2020 Winners
Amrou Al-Kadi and Kate Davies
Amrou Al-Kadhi and Kate Davies have tonight been announced as the winners of the 2020 Polari Prizes, the UK’s only award celebrating literature that explores the LGBTQ+ experience. Al-Kadhi becomes the 10th winner of the Polari First Book Prize, established in 2011, for their remarkably honest, funny and moving memoir Life As A Unicorn (Fourth Estate), whilst Kate Davies scooped the Polari Prize for non-debut talent for her frank and funny novel In At The Deep End (Borough Press). The winners were announced in a digital ceremony in association with the Southbank Centre, hosted by author and founder Paul Burston who described this year’s winning titles as “exceptionally good reads - original, genre-defying, hugely entertaining and unapologetically queer.”
Al-Kadhi’s memoir Life as a Unicorn is an honest, heart-breaking and often hilarious account of the author ’s journey from god-fearing Muslim boy enraptured with their mother, to a vocal, queer drag queen estranged from their family. Commenting on the winner, the 2020 judges said that Life as a Unicorn offered a “unique perspective at the intersection of gender, race and sexuality whilst being highly emotive and deeply moving.” It becomes the 10th winner of the Polari First Book Prize following in the footsteps of former winners including Fiona Mozley, Kirsty Logan, Paul McVeigh and Mari Hannah.
Davies’ In At The Deep End, a frank and funny novel exploring sex, love and self-understanding, triumphed against work by authors including Dustin Lance Black, Juno Roche, Niven Govinden and Robert Hamberger. Announcing the winner, poet and judge Andrew McMillan described it as an “open, generous, bold and unashamedly commercial novel that deals quite rarely with lesbian love, lesbian sex and lesbian eroticism.”
Judges for the First Book Prize are Angela Chadwick, who won in 2019 for her dystopian thriller XX, alongside Rachel Holmes, Cerys Evans, and Keith Jarrett. The winner receives a cheque for £1,000 from prize sponsors FMcM Associates.
Judges for the Polari Prize are inaugural prize winner Andrew McMillan, who won the 2019 award for his intimate poetry collection Playtime, alongside Suzi Feay, Chris Gribble, and VG Lee. The winner receives a cheque for £2,000 from prize sponsors D H H Literary Agency. Both prize panels are chaired by founder, journalist and author Paul Burston.
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About the Polari First Book Prize
The Polari First Book Prize was launched in 2011 and previous winners include Angela Chadwick, Fiona Mozley, Saleem Haddad, Paul McVeigh, Kirsty Logan, Diriye Osman, John McCullough, Mari Hannah and James Maker. The Polari First Book Prize is sponsored by leading literary PR consultancy, FMcM Associates. The winner will receive a cheque for £1,000.
About The Polari Prize
The Polari Prize was established in 2019 and is awarded to an overall Book of the Year. It is open to writers at any stage of their career (except debuts). It ’s inaugural winner was Andrew McMillan, who won the award for his intimate poetry collection Playtime. The Polari Prize is sponsored by D H H Literary Agency. The winner will receive a cheque for £2,000.
About Polari Literary Salon
Polari Literary Salon began in 2007 in the upstairs room of a bar in Soho. Events are now held monthly at the Southbank Centre and regularly sell out. The salon also tours regularly, funded by Arts Council England. In 2013, Polari was named ‘LGBT Cultural Event of the Year ’ in the Co-op Respect Loved By You Awards. In 2016, the British Council named Polari founder Paul Burston as one of “33 visionary people who are promoting freedom, equality, and LGBT rights around the world.”
About Paul Burston
Paul Burston is an author and founder of the Polari Literary Salon and Polari Prizes. A founding editor of Attitude magazine, he has written for many publications including The Guardian, Time Out, The Times and The Sunday Times. He is the author of three books including Lovers and Losers, shortlisted for the Stonewall Award. In March 2016, he was featured in the British Council’s #FiveFilms4Freedom Global List 2016, celebrating 33 visionary people who are promoting freedom, equality and LGBT rights around the world. His latest novel The Closer You Get was published in 2019 as part of a two book deal with Orenda Books.
