2014 Wrap Up

Between parenthood, study at the University of Sydney, completing the course work for my doctorate, and launching my tenth book, I was pretty remiss on blog updates this year. Here's…

By Tara Moss

Dec 27, 2014

Between parenthood, study at the University of Sydney, talks around the country and launching my tenth book, I was pretty remiss on blog updates this year. Here’s some of what I was up to:

– My most read blog this year was Manus Island – An Insider’s Report, which helped to break information to the public about the murder of Reza Barati. I owe a debt of gratitude to the brave contacts on Manus Island who risked a great deal to provide me with information for the blog and assist with other reporting, including the unmissable Four Corners report, The Manus Solution.

– This year I was honoured to host a series of interviews at the Sydney Opera House ‘All About Women Festival’ with extraordinary women including Alison Bechdel, Illwad Elaman, Mona Eltahawy. (Next year I will be speaking at the festival on March 8 with Germaine Greer, Rosie Batty, Anita Saarkesian, Jane Caro and more.)

– I launched my tenth book The Fictional Woman at the Sydney Writers Festival in May and toured the country for over four months, speaking at schools, universities, businesses and writers festivals on equality, body image, lossmiscarriage and modern parenthood, women’s representation, gender and what I call ‘fictions’ – limiting stereotypes, myths and tropes, many of which originate centuries ago and are still perpetuated in our oft-repeated classic stories. I also narrated the audio book version for those who prefer to listen to books, and those with visual impairment (It runs at 9hrs 42mins and can be found here.) The Fictional Woman became a number one non-fiction bestseller and started conversations around the country. Thank you so much for your support. When we support books on equality, feminism and humanitarian and social justice issues, particularly by local authors, we make it possible for authors to publish more on the topic and make it feasible for publishers to support issues that matter. Your support makes all the difference. 

– One of the many issues I discussed in The Fictional Woman was sexual violence, including some of my own experiences; an issue that connected strongly with people of all walks of life around the nation. I had the privilege of having many readers share their deeply moving stories of survival with me this year, and I also had the opportunity to speak at fundraisers for Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia, and at their 40 year anniversary celebration, where I got to learn more about their important work and decades of experiences on the frontlines of sexual and domestic violence in Australia.

– Many viewers also shared their stories with me after I appeared on Q&A at the end of May and spoke publicly about my experiences of sexual assault and rape for the first time, and about the ‘toxic silence surrounding this issue…silence protects the predators. It also shames the victims. It also robs us as a community of the tools to be able to support people adequately when these things happen to them.’ The full program and transcript can be found here.

I want the viewers at home to know – some of whom might be going through something of this at this moment – that you will get past this, this too will pass, you are brave, you are strong and you do not need to be silent.

This moment in the episode (above) was chosen as the Q&A Highlight of the Night, and was recognised as one of the Top Ten Milestone Moments on the program for the year. I received thousands of messages of support after the program, on email, Facebook and Twitter. I will endeavour to respond to each one, but I realise there are some messages that may have slipped through the cracks. Your messages, sharing and trust mean a great deal to me, and carried me through. Thank you. (As a side note, there were the inevitable online threats after the program aired, but I won’t be silenced. No person, regardless of sex, race or sexuality should be subjected to illegal threats. If it happens to you, know that you have rights. It is illegal to threaten a person with death or rape, or to encourage a person to kill themselves, online or otherwise.)

One thing that really struck me is that when I spoke out this year I was called ‘brave’. This was not my experience at the time of the assaults, or during the trial. I am acutely aware that the level of support I received after speaking out is not the experience for 99% of survivors of intimate violence when it occurs and in the weeks, months, and years that follow, as I wrote here.

– As I mentioned above, I did a lot of talks this year. Highlights included talks on The Fictional Woman introduced by the legendary Dale Spender at the Brisbane Writers Festival, Benjamin Law at Melbourne Writers Festival, Julia Baird at the Sydney Writers Festival, Karen Pickering at Readings, and more. I also had the opportunity to speak at a number of universities including UWA, Deakin and James Cook. In June had the privilege of speaking at my university, the University of Sydney for Sydney Ideas with my doctoral supervisor Professor Elspeth Probyn and fellow PhD candidate Paul Priday. An audio recording (1hr 22mins) is available at this link.

– As UNICEF’s national ambassador for Child Survival I continued to work with UNICEF on a number of advocacy initiatives and fundraisers this year, with 2014 marking 25 years since the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. One of our biggest priorities was upholding child rights in the face of ongoing conflict, famine, aid cuts and the prolonged detention of children in Australian immigration detention centres. I have great respect for UNICEF’s tireless advocacy for some of the world’s most vulnerable.

– As a family we continued our vintage caravan adventures this year, (and vintage clothing adventures – My second most popular blog was the vintage style blog In Defence of High Waists and Low(er) Shoes) visiting some beautiful Australian towns and even purchasing a second vintage Viscount caravan. Vintage caravanning is a fun, affordable way to take family holidays. Plus, it’s like a charmingly kitsch cubby house on wheels for kids. Little caravan escapes with my family helped me cope this year.

Thank you.

There are many people to thank for their support year, most of all my friends and family, but I’d also like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the many people who have been working on the frontlines of social justice issues all year, particularly Karen Willis and the team at Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia, Dr Norman Gillespie and the team at UNICEF, Victorian of the Year Rosie Batty, Police Commissioner Ken Lay, Chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison, Ambassador for Women and Girls Natasha Stott Despoja and Tom Meagher. I salute you. I also salute the countless others who work behind the scenes, unrecognised for their work.

I’ll be honest. 2014 was a very rewarding year, but also a challenging one. I will remember the loved ones lost this year – including our friends Martin Harrison and Stella Young – as well as those who are still struggling in hospital, the brave souls who opened up their painful experiences to me on my tour for The Fictional Woman, the privilege of having a voice, of being published in a very tough market where most authors are out of work, the support from friends and family, my university, my publishers, and you, my readers. Thank you for this privilege.

Wishing you and yours a safe and beautiful holiday season. Bring on 2015, I say. x

 

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12 Comments

  1. Ross Hamilton

    You continue to inspire. Have a lovely family break together and all the best for 2015 to you, Berndt and Sapphira.

    Reply
  2. Tara Moss

    Thank you for your support this year, Ross. Have a wonderful holiday break x

    Reply
  3. Naomi Arnold

    Oh Tara, I cannot find the words to articulate how much of an inspiration you are. I hope you and your family have the most beautiful break over the holiday period – and I can’t wait to read what you share in 2015. Virtual hugs from a stranger xo.

    Reply
  4. Chris Howe

    It’s no accident that your contributions and achievements are making people stand up and take notice Tara. Please continue challenging me and Australia at large to consider things more fully, and to look beneath the surface more often, in 2015 and beyond. Wishing you, Berndt and Sapphira a safe and relaxing break and a stellar new year.

    Reply
  5. Tara Moss

    Thank you for your words, Naomi. Wishing you and yours a lovely holiday season x

    Reply
  6. Tara Moss

    Thank you for your support, Chris. Wishing you and yours a lovely break x

    Reply
  7. Annette

    Tara, thank you for using your voice for good this year, for rising above all the fictions and speaking with such passion on issues that matter to us all.
    Here’s to 2015 being a great one for your family.

    Reply
  8. Marianne de P

    Thank you for continuing to fight the good fight with grace and determination and humanity.
    Marianne

    Reply
  9. Tahnee

    I would just like to say how disappointed I am as a fan of your novels that I have now been waiting two years for the fourth pandora English novel to be published. It was first promised to us in November of 2013, then it was supposed to be March 2014 then it was November 2014 and now it’s a new year and the book still hasn’t been released. Don’t you think it only fair to your fans that you stick to your word?????????? I think that if this book fails to be released this year I definitely won’t be reading another one of your novels. Not happy at all!!!!!!

    Reply
  10. Tara Moss

    Hi Tahnee,
    Sadly I am having to find a new publisher in order to continue the Pandora English series. There will be future books, including The Cobra Queen, but in order to publish them, I need a publisher who is happy to continue the series for the rest of the story.
    Best wishes,
    Tara

    Reply
  11. Tara Moss

    (There are many authors out of work at the moment, and many long running book series halted as it is a tough period in publishing, with sales down for most.)

    Reply
  12. Andrea Turner-Boys

    Your appearance on Q&A and all that you shared was just so gutsy. The theme in our network in 2014 was Courageous and you inspired us all with your honesty and integrity Tara. I hope we can connect you with WWA this year. Thanks for continuing to speak up loudly

    Reply

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