Thanks so much (on behalf of those who couldn't get there) for the snapshot round up and all the vibrant links to text vignettes. And YAY YOU! for making it happen and igniting it all.
I opened the newsletter to read 'The Town Hall early on Monday is the usual AWW sea of grey hair, but towards the end of the day, the back rows fill with young people. Cool young people in great outfits who want events after work and fearless cultural programming.'
I was sorry to read this casually ageist comment. Are older people, still curious, still reading and buying books, still keen to attend 'fearless cultural programming' and free to fill seats early in the day while younger people work, not valued? This emphasis on hair colour and great outfits comes across as shallow, and I'd have expected so much better from a press dedicated to 'socially conscious' publishing.
I'm heading to Newcastle Writers' Festival soon to take part in a panel on ageing and ageism. I'm reminded by your post that the battle against ageism is tough, maybe even tougher than the battles against sexism and racism, because ageist comments are often unconscious, and still widely thought acceptable.
Aside from this, the events were great. Congratulations on organising them.
Thanks so much for the comment, and I’m so sorry that the words hit you in that way. It definitely wasn’t intended to come across in that sense but absolutely appreciate that it does. We LOVE older people and grey hair (we both have a lot of grey hairs ourselves, and we’ve just proudly published Mag Merrilees in her seventies). The writing, reading and publishing scene in Australia is built upon the incredible support and work of older women especially – very cool older woman, at that! But the industry, and festivals in particular, have struggled to find resonance with younger audiences. And we need these younger audiences to sustain the industry’s viability and relevance.
(The outfits comment was very much just my own shallow excitement!)
Thanks so much (on behalf of those who couldn't get there) for the snapshot round up and all the vibrant links to text vignettes. And YAY YOU! for making it happen and igniting it all.
Dear Margo and Emily,
I opened the newsletter to read 'The Town Hall early on Monday is the usual AWW sea of grey hair, but towards the end of the day, the back rows fill with young people. Cool young people in great outfits who want events after work and fearless cultural programming.'
I was sorry to read this casually ageist comment. Are older people, still curious, still reading and buying books, still keen to attend 'fearless cultural programming' and free to fill seats early in the day while younger people work, not valued? This emphasis on hair colour and great outfits comes across as shallow, and I'd have expected so much better from a press dedicated to 'socially conscious' publishing.
I'm heading to Newcastle Writers' Festival soon to take part in a panel on ageing and ageism. I'm reminded by your post that the battle against ageism is tough, maybe even tougher than the battles against sexism and racism, because ageist comments are often unconscious, and still widely thought acceptable.
Aside from this, the events were great. Congratulations on organising them.
Carol Lefevre
Hi Carol,
Thanks so much for the comment, and I’m so sorry that the words hit you in that way. It definitely wasn’t intended to come across in that sense but absolutely appreciate that it does. We LOVE older people and grey hair (we both have a lot of grey hairs ourselves, and we’ve just proudly published Mag Merrilees in her seventies). The writing, reading and publishing scene in Australia is built upon the incredible support and work of older women especially – very cool older woman, at that! But the industry, and festivals in particular, have struggled to find resonance with younger audiences. And we need these younger audiences to sustain the industry’s viability and relevance.
(The outfits comment was very much just my own shallow excitement!)
Em