We are delighted to announce some late additions to our Networking Day program. Penni Russon will join Merlinda Bobis and Emma Ashmere for our session on Feminism Through Fiction, and Louise Taylor will now chair our session on Writing Politics, Writing Feminism, with Evelyn Araluen, Jenna Price and Clementine Ford. We regret to announce that Anna Spargo-Ryan will be unable to join us this year.
We have updated our website to better recognise our supporters. You will now find a list of our wonderful Friends of the Festival, and separate acknowledgements of our Partners, Sponsors and Volunteers.
Tickets to our Networking Day on 26 August are almost sold out. If you or someone you know are hoping to attend then please get in quick!
FWF committee member Stephanie Convery spoke to ABC Radio’s Serpil Senelmis about the Feminist Writers Festival, and why it’s time for great female voices to be heard. Listen to their conversation here.
‘A woman who can trace her history back 60,000 years in this land is not exotic’. Celeste Liddle looks at the disparate media coverage of Aboriginal finalists, including Magnolia Maymuru, in Miss World Australia, reflecting on the complex forces of racism that shape discussions of Aboriginal women and their appearances, and just how far we have to go to achieve gender and racial equality in Australia.
In this week’s Unladylike podcast, Stella Prize winner Charlotte Wood discusses the writing process with Paddy O’Reilly.
Amy McQuire, Michael Brull and Samah Sabawi have written an excellent letter in New Matilda on the urgent need for all of us to confront racism in our culture. They quote from Dr Liz Conor and her book Skin Deep about the tropes used to dehumanise Indigenous Australians. Liz Conor will be speaking about her book during our session on Feminism Through Narrative Non-Fiction.
Anna Krien has a beautiful article in Writing Queensland on the benefits of motherhood for writers. She counters the often-quoted idea that children signify the death of a writing career for women. ‘It is as though my height has been altered, and from this different eye-level, I can see underneath things, stories previously hidden, tucked tight into shells.’
The annual Slutwalk fundraiser, Slutfest, is on this Saturday night, featuring a cavalcade of variety acts coming together to raise money for the Slutwalk Melbourne march and its chosen charity. With a host of entertainers including Ruby Slippers, InfraGhosts and Magenta Rose, this is sure to be a pumping feminist party. Tickets are $10 pre-booked or $15 on the door. Take your stand against victim-blaming and slut-shaming! Saturday 30 July, Melbourne.
We all have regrets, whether for things we did or things we missed out on. At Feminartsy Story-Share: Regrets, join Hannah Gissane, Lani Perlesz and Eleanor Malbon for a discussion on the regrets that haunt them. Saturday 6 August, Canberra.
Are you a radical feminist, political or creative with something to say? Spinifex Press is looking for 10-minute presentations on politics, philosophy, poetry, music, art and storytelling for That’s Radical Feminisim with Spinifex Press. Send in your proposals for rants, singing or other 10-minute performances by 5pm, Wednesday 3 August. Friday 9 September, Melbourne.
Feminist Writers Festival 