We’d like to extend a huge congratulations to Fiona Wright for winning the Kibble Award for her brilliant book Small Acts of Disappearance. Fiona will appear at FWF’s session ‘The politics of personal writing’, along with Maria Tumarkin and Stephanie Convery. Congratulations also to Lucy Treloar, whose novel Salt Creek was awarded the Dobbie Prize for a debut author.
This week, Feminartsy spoke to Amy Middleton, founding editor of Archer magazine, about what it’s like running a publication with a unique focus on sexuality, gender and identity. Amy will appear at FWF’s session ‘Queer, transgender & feminist writing’, along with Alison Evans and Alyena Mohummadally.
I’m still reeling from Q&A – but not because I was called ‘hysterical’ – Van Badham reflects on THAT episode of Q&A, and the funding cuts to community legal services that will further disempower domestic violence victims (a point she was unable to make on air due to Steve Price’s blatantly sexist interruption).
Are we approaching the last frontier for women in power? Anne Summers considers the possible election of Hillary Clinton to the US Presidency, and the range of other powerful positions now occupied by women, arguing that this is a significant moment that could help shift perceptions of what is ‘normal’. ‘A new critical mass of women, operating at the highest of levels of global power and fully aware of the disastrous consequences of not getting it right may well forge a new way of working together.’ The counter-argument, of course, is that trickle-down feminism has done little to change the lived experiences of the majority of the world’s women, but perhaps something different could result if we are indeed reaching a tipping point?
An anonymous article in The Lifted Brow explores the prevalence of sexual harassment in academic and writerly institutions. The author, whose friendship with her university mentor ended in a refusal to reciprocate his sexual advances, reflects on the devastating effects that such harassment wreaks on women and their work.
In Australian film and television, women make up just 32% of producers, 23% of writers and 16% of directors. In an effort to combat this stark inequality, Screen Australia has launched Gender Matters, a program that will allocate $3 million to story ideas and projects led by women.
In other great screen-related news, November 2016 will see the inaugural $30,000 Mona Brand Award presented to ‘an outstanding Australian woman writing for the stage or screen’. The award will also involve a secondary prize of $10,000 for an emerging female writer for her first produced or screened work. Also including works for radio, this award is the first of its kind in Australia. Know any women doing extraordinary things in the industry? Jump online soon, because nominations close on Friday 12 August.
Women in Literary Arts Australia are looking for a volunteer online editor for their soon-to-be-launched WILAA blog and newsletter. The aim of the blog and newsletter is to promote opportunities and events for women writers, and to highlight the work of women writers around Australia. Applications from all over Australia are encouraged, and close at 5pm, Monday 25 July.
Right Now is a not-for-profit media organisation committed to covering human rights issues in Australia through accessible, creative and engaging media (online, print and radio), and is currently seeking submissions of short fiction and poetry. All selected works receive editorial support and will be published on a growing platform for discussion on human rights.
Feminist Writers Festival 