Latest news with #TheMotherFault
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Not a time for silence': More than 30 authors quit Bendigo Writers Festival
Bendigo Writers Festival has cancelled its opening night gala, hours out from the event, and a number of sessions have also been cancelled as the list of writers withdrawing from the event over free speech concerns continues to grow. On Wednesday, participants in the La Trobe University stream of the festival received a code of conduct, detailing what they can and can't say at the event. Since then, others in the line-up have been told the code would be in their festival pack when they arrived. Some 34 writers have now pulled out in protest, the latest group including Melanie Cheng, Jock Serong and Thomas Mayo. As reported on Thursday, La Trobe history professor Clare Wright, who co-curated the La Trobe series within the BMF, has also resigned, along with Overland editor and Stella Prize winner Evelyn Araluen and academic and author Randa Abdel-Fattah. Others include Jess Hill, Claire G. Coleman, Sonia Orchard, Daniel James, Fiona Stanley, Kirstin Ferguson, Michelle Scott Tucker, Kylie Mirmohamadi, Kate Larsen, Jaclyn Crupi, Cher Tan, Madison Griffiths, Kelly Gardiner, Sarah Firth, Rachel Ang, Bernard Caleo, Ita Mehrotra, Jonathan Butler, Jeanine Leane and journalist/author Paul Daley. Some have withdrawn in protest at being asked to sign the code of conduct; others in solidarity despite not being asked to sign themselves. The withdrawals are happening so rapidly the festival seemingly can't keep up. Events involving participants who have announced their withdrawal via social media still have those listed as active on the website. The code of conduct says participants are expected to engage in 'conversations that are inclusive, thoughtful, and welcoming to diverse perspectives. Avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful'. 'Writers' festivals are meant to be the places where you can discuss sensitive issues – the other places are universities,' says one author who preferred not to be named. Kate Mildenhall, author of The Mother Fault, who has withdrawn, said the code of conduct impeded free and frank discussion. One of the questions she was going to raise at her session was 'How do you see censorship in literature playing out in the world at the moment?'.
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Not a time for silence': More than 30 authors quit Bendigo Writers Festival
Bendigo Writers Festival has cancelled its opening night gala, hours out from the event, and a number of sessions have also been cancelled as the list of writers withdrawing from the event over free speech concerns continues to grow. On Wednesday, participants in the La Trobe University stream of the festival received a code of conduct, detailing what they can and can't say at the event. Since then, others in the line-up have been told the code would be in their festival pack when they arrived. Some 34 writers have now pulled out in protest, the latest group including Melanie Cheng, Jock Serong and Thomas Mayo. As reported on Thursday, La Trobe history professor Clare Wright, who co-curated the La Trobe series within the BMF, has also resigned, along with Overland editor and Stella Prize winner Evelyn Araluen and academic and author Randa Abdel-Fattah. Others include Jess Hill, Claire G. Coleman, Sonia Orchard, Daniel James, Fiona Stanley, Kirstin Ferguson, Michelle Scott Tucker, Kylie Mirmohamadi, Kate Larsen, Jaclyn Crupi, Cher Tan, Madison Griffiths, Kelly Gardiner, Sarah Firth, Rachel Ang, Bernard Caleo, Ita Mehrotra, Jonathan Butler, Jeanine Leane and journalist/author Paul Daley. Some have withdrawn in protest at being asked to sign the code of conduct; others in solidarity despite not being asked to sign themselves. The withdrawals are happening so rapidly the festival seemingly can't keep up. Events involving participants who have announced their withdrawal via social media still have those listed as active on the website. The code of conduct says participants are expected to engage in 'conversations that are inclusive, thoughtful, and welcoming to diverse perspectives. Avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful'. 'Writers' festivals are meant to be the places where you can discuss sensitive issues – the other places are universities,' says one author who preferred not to be named. Kate Mildenhall, author of The Mother Fault, who has withdrawn, said the code of conduct impeded free and frank discussion. One of the questions she was going to raise at her session was 'How do you see censorship in literature playing out in the world at the moment?'.
