Trans women eligible for 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction

In a landmark move towards inclusivity, the Women’s Prize Trust has confirmed that trans women will be eligible to enter the 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. The decision marks a significant evolution in the prize’s eligibility criteria and reflects ongoing efforts to ensure the award is representative of all women’s voices.

The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, launched in 2024 as a sister award to the long-established Women’s Prize for Fiction, celebrates excellence, originality, and accessibility in narrative non-fiction written by women. The prize is open to authors writing in English and published in the UK.

A spokesperson for the Women’s Prize Trust stated that the updated eligibility guidelines are designed to “recognise and honour the full diversity of women’s experiences,” adding that the Trust is committed to “amplifying underrepresented voices in literature.”

The announcement has been met with a mix of praise and debate across literary and public spheres. 

Grace Dolan-Sandrino, a prominent trans youth advocate, said: “Trans people are extraordinary, strong, intelligent, persistent and resilient. We have to be. And we will not stand for the picking and choosing of rights." 

The Trust has emphasised that all entrants must meet the core judging criteria of excellence, originality, and accessibility, regardless of gender history. The winner of the 2026 prize will receive £30,000 and a bespoke artwork known as “the Charlotte,” funded by the Charlotte Aitken Trust.

Submissions for the 2026 prize are now open, with the longlist expected to be announced in early 2026.