We’re thrilled to introduce you to the incredible people who make up the judging panel of the 2022 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction. Today, meet author Julie Koh. * The Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction calls for stories by women and non-binary writers. What’s your view on diverse representation in publishing? It’s vital. What do…
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Over the next few weeks, we’ll introduce you to the incredible people who make up the judging panel of the 2022 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction. Today, meet author and lawyer, Melissa Manning. * First off, congratulations on winning the 2022 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Fiction! It’s an incredible achievement. Tell us about your…
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Around the world, the legal profession has historically been the domain of white, privileged males. Some conservative nations, such as Saudi Arabia, didn’t even allow women to practice law until recently. And in 2015, the Washington Post declared law to be the least diverse profession in the U.S., as a full 88% of the nation’s…
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As an historian of the Australian women’s movement, the past two years have been extraordinary to witness. Not only are we living through a once-in-a-century pandemic, which has had profoundly gendered effects, we have also experienced a feminist insurgency that has placed the issue of women’s safety, and men’s abuses of power, at the centre…
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For over a year, a pink hooded jumper has sat folded between the neutrals and blacks of my wardrobe, smelling of mothballs and awaiting patiently for me to end its hibernation by ripping off the price tag and caressing it against my skin. It’s not that I dislike the hoodie; in fact, I think it…
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The gig economy has been widely heralded as the future of work. Proponents celebrate it as a means for workers to escape the tyranny of the traditional workplace and to cultivate a career on their own terms. They cite it as the conduit to freedom and choice for today’s workers. For many, however, the reality…
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From Thursday 16 September to Sunday 26 September, the 9th Queer Screen Film Fest will showcase documentaries and narrative feature films from 17 different countries in 18 different spoken languages – and you can watch them all from the comfort of your living room. Due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, the festival is,…
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Keshe Chow’s story, Lady Finger, won the 2021 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction. Here’s a Q&A with Keshe, plus her award-winning story! * Congratulations on winning this year’s RFP for Fiction, Keshe! Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you? In my day job, I’m a veterinarian – I’m actually a cat specialist! I…
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Kerrin O’Sullivan’s story, Mansion, placed second in the 2021 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction. We look forward to bringing you our Q&A with Kerrin in the coming weeks but for now, please enjoy her award-winning story! * Mansion On Saturdays Dad takes us to the park. At least that’s what he tells us to say,…
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Tanya Vavilova’s story, Here I Am, placed third in the 2021 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction. Here’s a Q&A with Tanya, plus her award-winning story! * Congratulations on placing third in this year’s RFP for Fiction, Tanya! Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you? I’m a Russian-Australian queer writer preoccupied with liminal spaces…
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‘Do you know how many LGBTIQ+ folks live in Australia? It turns out no one does, and we’re not about to find out in the upcoming census.’ Courtney Act, an Australian drag queen and television personality, made this point on Facebook last week as part of Equality Australia’s push to have LGBTIQ+ people counted in…
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It certainly appears as though there are few industries without deep ethical problems. Yes, some of these issues will be behind the scenes. They might even be limited to older generations of leadership perpetuating outdated ideals. However, one medium that seems to have been especially problematic for some time now is video gaming. We’re going…
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As much as there are things I absolutely love about breastfeeding, the intense bonding, the convenience of being a walking milk bar, the calories it supposedly burns, the truth is I didn’t actually know what I was signing up for. Not that knowing the challenges would have changed my decision to breastfeed – just saying…
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The COVID-19 pandemic coincided with several revelations about racial injustice around the world. It’s become clear: systemic racism is still thriving. With vaccinations now underway, people are finally reflecting on the hardships people of colour (POC) faced in health and finance during this tumultuous year. Staying at home wasn’t an option While much of the…
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