International Women’s Day Event

Kirsten Tranter

Every year on International Women’s Day (IWD) thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, local theatrical performances, fashion parades though to a literary panel at your local Leichhardt bookstore.

Jane Gleeson-White

On the eve of International Women’s Day, Shearer’s Bookshop will host a conversation about the role of gender in the literary world. The event is one way Shearer’s participates in IWD’s aim of 'thinking globally and acting locally'. The panel, which includes the crime writer Lenny Bartulin (De Luxe), author and editor Jane Gleeson-White (Australian Classics), literary agent Sophie Hamley and author and critic Emily Maguire (Smoke in the Room), will be chaired by the author Kirsten Tranter (The Legacy and Common Loss) who is also co-founder of the Stella Prize, an annual literary award that promotes and recognises women’s writing in Australia.

Lenny Bartulin

Supporting women writers is still an important and relevant action in the new millennium. As the IWD website points out, “(m)any from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' [however, the] unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.”

Emily Maguire

In light of this, the International Women's Day event at Shearer's will talk about whether gender disparities influence the world of literature; and if so, how? The evening will also be a celebration of women and writing - just looking at the list of speakers on our panel and their work it is clear that Australia has a lot to be proud of. 

International Women's Day Event

Shearer's Bookshop - 99 Norton St, Leichhardt

Wednesday, March 7 from 7.30 – 8.30

Free refreshments

10% of all book purchases on the night