Bri Lee
Brianna "Bri" Lee (born 13 December 1991) is an Australian author,[1] journalist,[2] and activist,[3] known for her 2018 memoir Eggshell Skull.[4]
Brianna "Bri" Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 December 1991 Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, activist, and journalist |
| Known for | Legal activism |
| Notable work | Eggshell Skull |
| Website | https://www.bri-lee.com/ |
Career edit
Writing and journalism edit
Lee's early writing work included a short story published in Voiceworks,[5] while serving as the founder and editor of the (now defunct) feminist quarterly periodical Hot Chicks with Big Brains.[6] Hot Chicks with Big Brains ran from 2015 until 2018, spanning seven issues. It featured articles and interviews with diverse women and non-binary people, including Darug elder Aunty Jacinta Tobin, Isabella Manfredi, Mehreen Faruqi,[7] Ruby Tandoh,[8] and Clementine Ford.[9]
Lee's first book, the memoir Eggshell Skull was published by Allen & Unwin in early 2018. It describes Lee's experience as a complainant in the Australian court system for sexual abuse she was subjected to as a child, while simultaneously working as a Judge's Associate working on similar cases. The memoir was well received, winning several awards including the People's Choice Award at the 2019 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards,[10] as well as the Davitt Award for debut novel[11] and the Ned Kelly Award for best true crime[12] in the same year. Funding for story development for a film adaptation was granted by Screen Australia in March 2023.[13] In 2021, passages from Eggshull Skull were quoted in a parliamentary debate regarding reform to the criminal justice system in Queensland.[14] In 2023, Lee's work was discussed in the Parliament of New South Wales after the second reading speech for the Criminal Procedure Amendment (Child Sexual Offence Evidence) Bill 2023.[15]
In October 2019, Lee's essay Beauty was published by Allen & Unwin.[16] In the essay, Lee examines her struggles with disordered eating. It was praised for its dissection of corporate middle class culture.[17]
In 2020 Lee was appointed the Australian Copyright Agency's writer-in-residence at the University of Technology Sydney.[18]
Her book, Who Gets to Be Smart, was published in 2021 by Allen & Unwin.[19]
In 2022, Lee's journalism for The Saturday Paper investigated a 'loophole' whereby perpetrators of abuse were able to shield their assets from civil claims brought by their victims, by moving them into their superannuation.[20] This was followed by further coverage by other outlets such as the ABC, and calls by Australian of the Year, Grace Tame for the government to enact reforms.[21] The Australian Government subsequently pledged to close this loophole.[22] Similarly, in 2023, Lee's investigative reporting into the financial affairs of Australian fashion label Ellery in The Monthly sparked further investigation and exposure by the ABC and other outlets.[23][24] Lee was nominated for a Walkley Award for the piece.[25]
Lee's debut novel, The Work, dealing with the development of a long-distance relationship between an art gallery owner in Chelsea, Manhattan, and a Queensland country boy turned art dealer, was published in 2024.[26]
Advocacy and media edit
Together with Bond University's Professor Jonathan Crowe,[27] Lee co-authored legal research and built ConsentLawQLD.com, a platform for the advocacy which led to the Queensland Attorney-General referring consent and the 'mistake of fact' defence to the Law Reform Commission in 2019.[28] Lee has been featured in advertising campaigns for brands including Sportsgirl,[29] Mimco,[30] Camilla and Marc,[31] and Fashion Journal.[32] Her advocacy has been recognised with a shortlisting for Women's Agenda Leadership awards[33] and a placement as one of the Australian Financial Review's 'women of influence' in 2019.[34]
In 2021, in partnership with the Women's Justice Network and Gleebooks, Lee launched 'Freadom Inside', an initiative facilitating the provision of books to inmates in women's correctional facilities in New South Wales.[35]
Lee hosts the 'B List Bookclub', a monthly bookclub featuring Australian and international authors, with the State Library of New South Wales.[36] Lee has made several appearances on the ABC program The Drum[37] as well as appearing on Radio National,[38] discussing issues such as law reform, and her written work.
Awards edit
| Year | Awards and fellowships |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Inaugural Kat Muscat Fellowship[39] |
| 2017 | Griffith Review Queensland Writer's Fellowship[40] |
| 2018 | Queensland Literary Awards – Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Award[41] |
| 2019 | Australian Financial Review – Women of Influence 2019[34] |
| 2021 | University of Queensland Alumni Award, for advocacy for survivors of sexual assault and for law reform[42] |
| Awards and listings for Eggshell Skull | |
|---|---|
| Year | Award received |
| 2018 | The Nib Award for Research and Writing – People's choice winner[43] |
| 2019 | Ned Kelly Award for True Crime Writing – winner[44] |
| Davitt Award for Best Debut Crime Book – winner[45] | |
| Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Biography of the Year – winner[46] | |
| Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Matt Richell New Writer Award – shortlisted[47] | |
| Council for Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS) Book Prize – shortlisted[48] | |
| The Stella Prize – longlisted[49] | |
| Indie Book Awards – shortlisted[50] | |
| People's Choice Award, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards[51] | |
| Awards and listings for Who Gets to Be Smart | |
|---|---|
| Year | Award received |
| 2021 | Longlisted for the 2021 Nib Award for research in writing |
| 2021 | Shortlisted for the 2021 Dymocks Book of the Year |
| 2022 | Indie Books Award for Nonfiction – shortlisted[52] |
| 2022 | Longlisted for the 2022 Australia Book Industry Awards for Non-Fiction |
References edit
- ^ Bri Lee. Who Gets to Be Smart. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781760879808. Retrieved 27 October 2021 – via allenandunwin.com.
- ^ "Journalism + Other Writing". Bri Lee. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Consent law in Queensland". Consent law in Queensland. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ Lee, Bri (2018). Eggshell Skull. Allen & Unwin.
- ^ Lee, Bri (Winter 2015). "Hunting with Robert". Voiceworks. 100: 57–59.
- ^ Lee, Bri. "Hot Chicks with Big Brains". from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Issue #4". Hot Chicks with Big Brains. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Issue #5". Hot Chicks with Big Brains. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Issue #6". Hot Chicks with Big Brains. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "VPLAs 2019: Manus detainee Boochani wins $100k top prize". Books+Publishing. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "'The Ruin' wins best novel at 2019 Davitt Awards". Books+Publishing. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Winners of the Ned Kelly Awards 2019 announced". Books+Publishing. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Screen Australia funds Eggshell Skull adaptation development". Books+Publishing. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Queensland Parliamentary Hansard. 2021.
- ^ "Hansard & House Papers". www.parliament.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ Lee, Bri (2019). Beauty. [S.l.]: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1760876524. OCLC 1111771887.
- ^ "A Review of 'Beauty' by Bri Lee". Westerly Magazine. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Bri Lee joins UTS as Copyright Agency's Writer-in-Residence". University of Technology Sydney. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ Silcox, Beejay (10 June 2021). "Who Gets to Be Smart by Bri Lee review – gutsy but unfocused interrogation of academic privilege". The Guardian. from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ Lee, Bri (26 March 2022). "Delays are allowing abusers to hide assets from their victims". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ Shine, Rhiannon (22 June 2022). "Grace Tame wants Albanese government to close paedophile superannuation loophole". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ Shine, Rhiannon (18 January 2023). "Government pledges to close child abuser superannuation loophole". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ Lee, Bri (1 April 2023). "Debt-à-porter". The Monthly. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ Brown, Rachael (1 July 2023). "Designer Kym Ellery's edgy outfits won over celebrities. Her 2019 fashion business collapse left suppliers owed millions". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ Gorman, James (20 September 2023). "2023 Walkley Business Journalism Award Finalists Announced". The Walkley Foundation. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ Lee, Bri (2024). The Work. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781761069390.
- ^ Wolfe, Natalie (10 July 2019). "The few seconds and hair touch that let a rapist go free". News.com. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ D'Ath, Yvette (9 July 2019). "Palaszczuk government to refer consent laws to Queensland Law Reform Commission". The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ apatelsus (28 January 2019). "Meet That Girl: Bri Lee". Blog | Sportsgirl. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Unite – Meet Bri Lee". www.mimco.com.au. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Bri Lee". Camilla and Marc. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Queensland's sexual consent law is changing thanks to Bri Lee". Fashion Journal. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Announcing the finalists of the 2019 Women's Agenda Leadership Awards". Women's Agenda. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Bri Lee". Afrwomen of Influence. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Women's Justice Network". Gleebooks.com.au. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "The B List Bookclub". State Library of NSW. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "The Drum: Tuesday 23rd of June", ABC News (Australia), 23 June 2020, retrieved 21 February 2021
- ^ "Women and the Law". ABC Radio National. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Announcing The 2016 Kat Muscat Fellow". Express Media. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Fellowship winners announced". Griffith Review. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "2018 Queensland Literary Award winners show off local talent". Ministerial Media Statements. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Meet our 2021 UQ Alumni Award winners, Bri Lee and Mikhara Ramsing". law.uq.edu.au. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Winners announced today for the national 2018 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award – Waverley Council". www.waverley.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Ned Kelly Awards 2019 Winner – Allen & Unwin – Australia". www.allenandunwin.com. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "The Davitt Award winners 2019". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Biography Book of the Year". ABIA. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "2019 ABIA Shortlist Announce". ABIA. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Media Releases | CHASS". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Announcing the Winner of the 2019 Stella Prize". The Stella Prize. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ AusIndieBooks (4 December 2018). "Longlist Announced for the 2019 Indie Book Awards". indie-book-awards. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ . The Wheeler Centre. Archived from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Indie Book Awards 2022 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
External links edit
- Official website