PEN International, the largest worldwide organization of writers, endorsed a resolution “Gender Diversity Justice” at the 91st World Congress in September, Kraków, Poland. The resolution was ratified by the PEN General Assembly of Delegates of Centers from over 114 countries and regions throughout the world.
The resolution affirms full civil liberties and creative freedom for gender-diverse and LGBTQIA+ individuals. It asserts their entitlement to protection under the freedom of expression clause of Article 19 of the United Nations “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace and Security.”
The resolution, an initiative of the PEN International Women Writers Committee (PIWWC), represents a significant development in PEN’s understanding of its mandate to protect freedom of expression.
The resolution was developed under the direction of PIWWC chair Judyth Hill, who organized the contributions of the PIWWC Advisory Board representing women’s concerns globally. These women are: Sotiria Georganti, General Secretary, PEN Greece; Lucina Kathmann, San Miguel PEN Mexico; Sarah Lawson, English PEN; Olha Mukha, PEN Ukraine; Wezi Msukwa-Panje, PEN Malawi; Mahi Ramakrishnan, president, PEN Malaysia; and Tanja Tuma, PEN International Board vice-chair, president, PEN Slovenia.
Throughout the one-year process of creating the resolution which began at the Oxford, England, PEN World Congress in 2024, Hill and her colleagues enjoyed the significant support of Jennifer Clement, PEN International president-emerita; Jennifer Boylan, president, PEN America; So Mayer, English PEN; and Romana Cacchioli, PEN Executive Director.
On Sept. 4 Hill, presented the resolution to the PEN General Assembly:
This resolution is about human rights and principles – not ideology or politics. The resolution before us today is about standing true to PEN’s Charter — defending the right of every writer to speak, create, and live without fear.
When we protect transgender and gender-diverse writers, we do more than safeguard individuals—we safeguard literature itself. These voices expand our imagination, challenge power, and give us visions of equity and justice we desperately need.
Let us vote YES! And show the world, as we always have, that in PEN International, every voice in every language and with every identity matters, so that no writer is erased, no story is lost, and no truth is forced into silence.
The General Assembly voted YES. Please read the full text here.
As I participated in the 40th anniversary celebrations at SideTrack on Sept. 25 in the company of my companion Lucina Kathmann of PEN San Miguel, I felt a profound pride. We are a community of diverse individuals and groups that has held together and focused its energies and talents to create a just civil society where we effectively voice our concerns, practice our arts and live our lives in safety, respect and dignity. I am grateful to Tracy Baim and all my friends and colleagues at Windy City Media Group for their support and work.
To conclude this article, I would like to quote my friend and colleague Judyth Hill:
Despite our long-held dreams of, hopes and work for, justice in the United States… never have so many of us felt so much despair and grief over the state of our country! So, let’s have some HOORAY! We need to! Because we have had a victory! A victory on the micro-global level that I hope will truly reverberate around the globe! … Never has the issue of freedom of expression rung with more urgency through all our lands! Blessings and gratitude to the Windy City Times – for forty impassioned, eloquent years as the celebrated voice of Chicago’s gay, lesbian, bi, trans and queer community!
I join Judyth in shouting: Windy City Times is a VICTORY! This is a WOW & a HOORAY! And this too, took a village: YOU!
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2025 © nicholas.patricca@gmail.com
Judyth Hill, poet, provocateur, chair PEN International Women Writers Committee.
Nick Patricca, professor emeritus, Loyola University Chicago; member, PEN International San Miguel MX Center.