When it comes to generational divides, unflattering stereotypes abound. Baby-boomers are Beatles-obsessed real-estate hogs; Gen Xers are vinyl-fetishing finger-waggers and millennials are entitled, smashed avocado-munching whiners.
Highlighting generational differences is a great way for journalists to get clicks, but how accurately do these categories really describe us? And, for the so-called ‘millennials’, what are the real and perceived differences in choices, attitudes and behaviour from older generations? Many of the traditional markers of maturity – marriage, kids, home-ownership – are proving elusive, unattainable or undesirable for today’s under-40s.
Emily Sexton hosts Clementine Ford, Kayla Rae Whitaker, Will Kostakis and Tom Taylor for a conversation that looks past the stereotypes to examine the changing nature of adulthood in Australia today.
Presented in partnership with Bendigo Writers Festival.
Featuring
Emily Sexton
Emily Sexton is a former Head of Programming for the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas.
She was the recipient of a prestigious Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship in 2014. Previously, she was Artistic Director of Next Wave (2010–14), where her key achievements were a radical rethink of an arts festival model, and a series of landmark commissions, publications and talks featuring First Nations artists, co-curated with Tony Albert and Tahjee Moar and titled Blak Wave.
In 2013, she was Artistic Director of the Ian Potter Cultural Trust’s 20th Anniversary Celebrations at the Melbourne Recital Centre. She was also Creative Producer for Melbourne Fringe Festival for 2008–10.
Emily has been a proud Board Member for Arena Theatre Company, Snuff Puppets and Theatre Network Victoria, and is alumnus of the Australia Council’s Emerging Leaders Program (2011). She is a regular peer assessor for the Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, and other philanthropic trusts and foundations. Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications, English) from the University of Sydney (2005). She is a regular host and facilitator for writers’ festivals and arts organisations around Australia.
Clementine Ford
Clementine Ford is a Melbourne-based writer, speaker and feminist thinker. She is a columnist for Fairfax’s Daily Life and is a regular contributor to the Age and Sydney Morning Herald. Through her twice-weekly columns for Daily Life, Clementine explores issues of gender inequality and pop culture. Fight Like a Girl is her first book.
Her ability to use humour and distilled fury to lay bare ongoing issues affecting women has earned her a huge and loyal readership. Clementine’s work has radically challenged the issues of men’s violence against women, rape culture and gender warfare in Australia, while her comedic take on casual sexism and entertainment has earned her a reputation as an accomplished satirist.
Will Kostakis
Kayla Rae Whitaker
Kayla Rae Whitaker is an American writer whose first novel is The Animators. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and of New York University’s MFA program.
Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times best-selling comic book author, screenwriter and playwright.
Currently the writer of Wolverine for Marvel, and Injustice for DC Comics, Taylor has written Batman/Superman, Iron Man, Justice League/Power Rangers, Star Wars and more.
He's the co-creator, head writer and executive producer of animated series The Deep, which is currently screening in over a hundred countries.