‘In fairytales, the characters who look different are often cast as the villain or monsters. It's only when they shed their unconventional skin that they are seen as "good" or less frightening.’
Carly Findlay looks different. She’s an award-winning writer, appearance activist and speaker who lives with ichthyosis – a rare, severe skin condition. Say Hello is her new memoir, filled with anecdotes and observations on her life to date, and on ableism, representation and beauty privilege. Of its name, she explains it’s ‘what I want people to do, instead of ignoring me, looking shocked or scared, or making a rude comment about my face’.
Findlay’s book serves as a confident manifesto on disability and appearance diversity. Also recently announced as the editor of a forthcoming collection, Growing Up Disabled in Australia, she joins us at Montalto for a chat about disability-led literature, difference and telling your story on your own terms.
Presented in partnership with Montalto.
Antipodes Bookshop and Gallery will be our bookseller at this event.
Featuring
Carly Findlay
Carly Findlay OAM is an award-winning writer, speaker and appearance activist. Her first book, a memoir called Say Hello, was released in January 2019. Carly edited the anthology Growing Up Disabled in Australia with Black Inc Books ...
Elizabeth McCarthy
Elizabeth McCarthy is the Program Director of the Queenscliffe Literary Festival. She also works as an editorial content producer for ABC Radio Melbourne, and in an engagement role for RMIT Culture. She previously ...