Brisbane Writers Festival’s war of words

A FURORE over potentially racist comments made by an American author at the Brisbane Writers Festival has been defended by the festival director.

Lionel Shriver caused controversy with her perspective on connection and belonging at the festival, with some saying her comments were potentially racist.

A FURORE over potentially racist comments made by American author Lionel Shriver at the Brisbane Writers Festival has been defended by the festival director.

Julie Beveridge claims Shriver, author of books such as We Need To Talk About Kevin and The Mandibles is known as a ­provocateur.

Shriver was asked to provide a perspective on connection and belonging for her speech that opened the festival ­­on Thursday.

But she ended up causing offence and a walkout by Brisbane author and social activist Yassmin Abdel-­Magied, who said Shriver was supporting cultural appropriation that was, potentially, racist.

In a column in The Guardian, Abdel-Magied related her experience listening to Shriver speak: “Shriver began by making light of a recent incident in the US, where students faced prosecution for what was argued by some as ‘casual racial and ethnic stereotyping and cultural insensitivity’ at a Mexican-themed party.

“It became about mocking those who ask people to seek permission to use their stories,” she wrote.

Abdel-Magied’s outrage eventually went viral, prompting fierce debate online about Shriver’s thesis.

The row has prompted a huge surge of interest in the Brisbane Writers Festival. Ms Beveridge said Shriver did go off-topic but festivals could often be ­controversial.

“Festivals should absolutely deal with dangerous ideas,” Ms Beveridge said. “They are the perfect places for robust discussion, the sharing of ideas and challenging one’s own assumptions.

‘‘I believe that stories and ideas connect, not divide us and that BWF was a great example of diverse communities engaging in real debate through stories and ideas.”

Ms Beveridge said she spoke to Shriver before her departure from Brisbane immediately after the festival and Shriver had enjoyed her time in Queensland.

A spokesman for Shriver’s publisher, HarperCollins Australia, said the author was “amused” that she had caused a fuss but would not take part in ongoing debate.

In her festival talk, Shriver told the audience that writers should be free to take on other cultural and racial identities in their writing.