All About Women

Yellowface author Rebecca F Kuang will chat about her huge literary hit. To tap into one of past year's biggest TikTok memes,  Roman Empire scholar Mary Beard is also on the program. The event: 2024's All About Women. Now in its 12th year, the Sydney Opera House festival will span 24 sessions with 40-plus artists, and will again make its chats and panels available both in-person and online.

All About Women explores gender, justice and equality, doing so as a concise one-day event on Sunday, March 10. Kuang heads to Sydney to dive into her satirical novel, which explores cancel culture, cultural appropriation and diversity in the world of publishing — and Beard is coming to the Harbour City fresh off the release of her latest book The Emperor of Rome to examine misogyny, power, murder and gossip.

From there, held as the week of International Women's Day wraps up, All About Women will see Grace Tame join a discussion about who controls women's bodies, which will also feature Indigenous social activist Tanya Hosch, tattoo artist Madison Griffiths and documentarian Tara Rae Moss. Miles Franklin-winning author Anna Funder will unpack the patriarchy, Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier's Marisa Meltzer will step through the beauty industry's changes, and Consent Laid Bare's Chanel Contos has porn and consent on the agenda.

John Packman

A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing scribe Jessie Tu is part of a panel about "sad girl" novels, The Wren, The Wren's Anne Enright will talk about her latest book, and stylist Aja Barber will examine fast fashion. Or, there's Barkaa and Steph Tisdell unfurling who gets to be an anti-hero in pop culture, plus Osher Günsberg in a discussion about parenting gender roles.

Plus, life behind bars, influencer culture, storytelling as a way of creating social change, mothering on the margins and the role of gossip all feature in their own sessions. Among the workshops for folks attending physically: mindful journalling, candle-making, femininity through dance and supporting someone dealing with gender-based violence.

Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas's Chip Rolley has put together the 2024 program alongside Clementine Ford, Nakkiah Lui and Bri Lee, each of whom have co-curated specific sessions.

Top image: Cassandra Hannagan.