Archive for December, 2008
Dorothy Porter (26 March 1954 – 10 December 2008)
The Australian and LGBT literary community have lost a hero. Dorothy Porter, poet novelist extraordinaire, passed away yesterday from complications from breast cancer.
In addition to her poetry collections and other writings, Dorothy is renown for her brilliant verse novels, including the acclaimed The Monkey’s Mask and El Dorado. Gripping reads, if you ask me.
She is survived by her partner, the writer, Andrea Goldsmith.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/books/dorothy-porter-dies/2008/12/10/1228584914257.html
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2442583.htm
Short bio about Dorothy Porter on Wikipedia
I regret missed opportunities to hear Dorothy speak at recent writers’ festivals.
UPDATE:
On behalf of Andrea Goldsmith and the family and friends of Dorothy Porter, a memorial event is being organised next week. Please forward this message to those who would be interested.
Richard Gill will be the MC and details of the program will be available next week.
Dorothy Porter 1954-2008
A celebration of the life and work of Dorothy Porter will be held at 6.00pm on Thursday, 18 December 2008 in the Northern Foyer of the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. All are welcome.
Thank you
Sarah Gardner
Executive Director
International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA)
www.ifacca.org <http://www.ifacca.org>
372 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills Sydney NSW
PO Box 788, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9215 9016 Fax: +61 2 9215 9111 Mobile 0419 223 562
Day without a gay
The clever people who brought JoinTheImpact against Prop 8 in the USA have come up with a quiet protest against homophobia – simply not show up for a day at work.
Before criticising this choice of action, read about alternative activities for the 10th of December.
http://www.daywithoutagay.org/
Australia LGBT WIN!
Information below totally and gratefully gacked from the GLRL newsletter. Thank you to everyone who lent a hand or passed the word. For your reading pleasure, here are the second reading speeches in the Senate (PDF) on the Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws – General Law Reform) Bill 2008. So we didn’t get the M-word, no worries. It’ll happen. Kudos to the Rudd government for fulfilling its election mandate.
58 ‘08 Campaign Win:
Same-Sex Reforms Pass
Australian Parliament passes reforms granting equality to same-sex couples and their children.
Highlights from Parliament:
The last family I wish to refer to in support of this legislation is one that is very close to home—my own family… Coming from a country town, it was difficult to come out of the closet but that is what my youngest brother did. … I hope that one day my darling brother, Nick, will be the beneficiary of the legislative changes we have placed before the House. - The Hon Graham Perrett (Member for Morton). House of Representatives, 4 June 2008.
I have lived long enough as a gay member of the Australian community to have seen enormous changes: from the period when it was a crime, at least for male homosexuals, to have a loving relationship, which was punishable by many years in jail, to this historic day, where discrimination on the basis of sexuality is being removed from the statute books by the parliament. I congratulate all parties who are contributing and who have worked so hard towards this. – Senator Bob Brown, Senate, 12 November 2008.
I am very pleased with the substantive legal equality for couples irrespective of the gender, identity or sexuality of couples that this bill implements. However, personally, I hope that one day there is a majority in this parliament to remove discrimination against all couples in relation to marriage. – Senator Louise Pratt, Senate, 12 November 2008.
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58 ’08 Campaign Comes to a Close
The Australian Parliament has finally passed the same-sex reform bills, granting equality to same-sex de facto couples and their children in almost all areas of federal law. The changes ensure equal treatment of same-sex couples with opposite-sex de facto couples in areas including taxation, superannuation, Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, social security, aged care, family law and child support, migration, veterans’ and defence entitlements, and workers’ compensation.
The passage of the reforms brings the GLRL’s 58 ‘08 campaign to a close. During the court of the campaign, over 1,000 personal stories of discrimination and letters of support for the reforms were delivered to the Commonwealth Attorney-General. In the lead up to the Senate debate on the reforms, the GLRL presented select politicians with a heart-felt selection of the letters in a collected titled, Australian Love Letters.
“The 58 ‘08 campaign will go down in the Lobby’s history as one of its biggest and most influential campaigns. The campaign has seen over a thousand people write in support of the reforms which has armed Lobby representatives with heartfelt and real stories to present in our meetings with politicians and policy-makers,” said GLRL Spokesperson, Peter Johnson.
“Thank you to the hundreds of Australians who responded to our call to send a letter to the Attorney-General demanding equality in 58 laws by the end of 2008. You ensured the Rudd Government kept its word, and helped secure cross-party support for this reform,” added Johnson.
Want more information? The GLRL will be launching an education campaign on the new changes in the New Year funded by the City of Sydney. The Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department has also launched a website with some information on the changes.
OTHER CHANGES OF INTEREST - contact glrl@glrl.org.au
The Pulitzer Prize accepts online journalism
Wonderful that the Pulitzer Prize Board is recognising print and online journalism equally. As long as a US newspaper (print or web) publishes at least once a week, it is eligible for the prize(s). I think this came about from the effect of local bloggers in war-torn countries getting real news out through the internet faster, more accurately and more relevantly than daily English-print newspapers.
It is always gratifying to see quality online writing accepted for consideration along with its older cousin, print, because quality is in the content, not the form. What I don’t get, what I really really don’t understand, is why US literary organisations claim as world class their awards but when you dig into their entry rules, there’s always an eligibility requirement that the nominated author/publisher must be a US resident or registered/incorporated in the US or fulfil some other US based rule.
In this case, it’s even more ironic when the Pulitzer is named after a Hungarian immigrant.
I and many others casually call this the World Series Syndrome (the World Series is a baseball championship tournament which is played, in effect, only by American teams despite the claim). The US seems to hold a fiction about itself as heading the world in all achievements. Perhaps this mentality explains why it expects the rest of the world to play by its rules. GWB, I’m looking at you.
ETA – a literary organisation that proclaims to be the top for lesbian fiction, the GCLS, has opened nominations for this year’s awards. Ebooks are prominently excluded and nominated books must have been available for purchase in the US. Convoluted and conflicting (not to mention full of typos) judging process explanations and vague genre definitions are posted. Go have a read.
Colour me stripey
Led from me mates’ blogs.
What is says about you: You are a proud person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure. Those around you admire your fresh outlook and vitality.
Interactive books
Give it months before reading tablets are in mass production. Y’know, those e-ink technologies that will revolutionise how we carry our reading material around. Devices such as the Kindle and e-readers are baby step towards that end, which in turn will be a bigger step towards ultimate mobile, interactive personalised informative experience.
Interactive books aren’t a new concept, pop-up books were the first I think. This chap has done it by utilising Google Maps to add a locational feel to his e-novel. Looks like fun.
You can read the book here. It’s in German though.
For an English explanation about the book, see this article.
