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This article is more than 4 ea ld

Lionel Shriver's full speech: 'I hope the concept

of cultural appropriation is a passing fad'
Lionel Sh i e

This is the full transcript of the keynote speech, Fiction and

Identity Politics, that author Lionel Shriver gave at the Brisbane
Writers Festival
T e 13 Sep 2016 07.49 BST

6,852 2,116
I
ha e o di a oin o folk , b nle e e ch he o ic o b eaking oin
hi add e ill no be abo comm ni and belonging. In fac , o ha e o
hand i o hi fe i al o gani e : in i ing a eno ned iconocla o eak
abo comm ni and belonging i like e ec ing a g ea hi e ha k o
balance a beach ball on i no e.

The o ic I had bmi ed in ead a c ion and iden i oli ic , hich ma

o nd on i face e all d ea .

B I m af aid he b amble of ho n i e ha cl e a o nd iden i oli ic

ha go all oo in e e ing, a ic la l fo eo le ing he occ a ion I ha e
i h man ga he ed in hi hall: c ion i ing. Taken o hei logical concl ion,
ideologie ecen l come in o og e challenge o igh o i e c ion a all.
Mean hile, he kind of c ion e a e allo ed o i e i in dange of becoming o
hedged, o ci c m c ibed, o i - oe, ha e d indeed be be e o no i ing
he anod ne d i el o begin i h.

Le a i h a em e -in-a- eac a Bo doin College in B n ick, Maine.

Ea lie hi ea , o den , bo h membe of den go e nmen , h e a
e ila- hemed bi hda a fo a f iend. The ho o ided a endee ih
minia e omb e o , hich he ho o n me o a goe o e.

A Li el Sh i e When ho o of he a ci c la ed on ocial media, cam -

ade ligh f
ide i I had
ide o age en ed. Admini a o en m l i le email o he
ch ice b alk c l i h ea ening an in e iga ion in o an ac of e hnic
he
Ya Abde e eo ing. Pa goe e e laced on ocial oba ion,
Mag ed hile he o ho e e ejec ed f om hei do m and la e
Read e im eached. Bo doin den ne a e dec ied he
a endee lack of ba ic em a h .

The den go e nmen i ed a a emen of olida i i h all he den

ho e e inj ed and a ec ed b he inciden , and demanded ha admini a o
c ea e a afe ace fo ho e den ho ha e been o feel eci call a ge ed.
The e ila a , he a emen eci ed, a j he o of occa ion ha c ea e
an en i onmen he e den of colo , a ic la l La ino, and e eciall
Me ican, feel n afe. In m, he a -fa o ha con i ed ai fo i
c l al a o ia ion.

C io l , ac o m co n Me ican e a an , of en o ned and n b

Me ican , a e fe ooned i h omb e o if e ha no fo long. A he UK
Uni e i of Ea Anglia, he den nion ha banned a Me ican e a an f om
gi ing o omb e o , deemed once mo e an ac of c l al a o ia ion ha a
al o aci .
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T , , eisbier,
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endpoin of keeping : o re not
o mi o s pposed to tr on other people s hats.
e pe ience ha doe n , ?S ,
belong o i ha .
he e i no c ion I ,
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1938 ,J G H G .

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1961 B L M ,
Li el Sh i e J H a G a ab
i i g The
Ma dible b k b a a . Ha a M a Ja
dca G a a a ab a a
Read m e a A a S .H b a a ,
a b a a a a a .

T a W O C ?A a a A A a La ,
S a S a ,a a a F a U ,
a a a a a a , a a
, a , a a
.T a a a a , ,
, a a , , , a a , b , .

W a ab a a b .H a
a a a a a
, a a a b ?D
a a a a a a -b a b a ,
a a a a I a a a C a
T , a a a a a ba ?

Ia a a a a a a a :
ba bb a a a a a a a
a - , a a a
ba .

B a a ab - a a a a - ,
a b a
a a a a b .

Serio sl e ha e S a, a a a a
people q es ioning a a a , aa , a
he her i s a :A A a M A a 2013, Ka
appropria e for hi e P a a.
people o ea pad Thai A A ab-A a Ra a Ja a ,
a b a
a a Ea a , a
Da B a I A a a a b a A a a a
a a ba .

T a :a U
O a a Ca a a, a a a a a a , b a
a a I a. S - , M
S . A : a a a .S
b a L aD a , a Ob C O a
 c l all a ia ed f d like hi i hei di i g hall (l ck c e i
da , e e e had hi i di i g hall), h e i a he ici i i e ii e
he Ja a e e.

Li e Sh i e i he a h f We Need Ta k Ab Ke i , he i e f he 2005 O a ge P i e. He he b k i c de
Ga e C , A Pe fec G d Fa i , a d D b e Fa . She i e i L d . Ph g a h: A i O /The Ob e e
S , a app op ia e
a ad T a . T ab , :I a a a a a a N Ca a,
I ca ba T a a ba b c . (I b d a .)

T a b c ab a . B ca
a a a c a c , ?W a c , acc ,
a ,a dd c d ?W a d
d ? W da d ad a ,
a c a c a d d ,
a ?W a a d a ?W ,
, a , a dc a a d a ca d ,a d
ake no e b d ?W
c c a ?

T c , a .

T ad c ca b a , c, a aca ,
a d .A d a c a b .W T a Ca
c c d d d a c cc a
a , ad a .B c a a .

A c c b a c , c
a c. I a .I -c d a ; a a , c
ab d a d a dd a .T a
a a ; a ab a ca a a
.

I 2009 L B ,C C a , a a a c a
a , da d a 14- a - d N a ,
a , ,a dB .I a a a a
a , b ca I a ad b .

B c , I ad c a b ca d d ca
c a Sa F a c c : W a a a a a
N a , a ac a , d ? a d.
W a a d b , d a d
a a .B a b ca a
c a ac , .

H d . OK, c a c a ac ,b a
a .B c !H c d ?T a
c a ac , b a a da , a ca
.
Thi a e e ie e eca i a ed C ea e b iga i h ha he e e e i g
[ he gi ], a he ha e i i g he . Agai , a fa e dich .

Of c e he e i i g he . I hi b , a d he ade he . The cha ac e i hi

c ea e, be e i ed a . Ye he e ie e chide ha ecia ca e
h d be a e i ha ha i ici e a d ie ha
C ea e he hi b da ie a be f he ha he e e ea g .

Wha ie a e i ici e , a d ha b da ie a d i e
a e e a da ed e ai i hi ? I d a g e ha a ca make
i e ,a d i g h he b da ie f he a h e a
e e ie ce i a fa c i i e j b.

I h i g ha c i e i e , f e a e, d a ha e e a e e ie ce f
c i i g de . Me, I e de ic ed a high ch i i g ee, a d I ha e b ea
i : I e e e h fa a a h gh e e id , a eache , a d a cafe e ia
e , ei he . We a e hi g , e cha ce a , ei e ed a i e
e ea ch, b i he e d i i ab ha e ca ge a a ih ha e ca
e eade .

Beca e he i a ee d i f ee i g i e e ie ce that doesn’t

belong to us i ha he e i c i .S e e i e e e i he e f ie
f he e ec i e f a aigh hi e fe a e b i N h Ca i a, c i g
i , ab e-b died b i h bad ee , i f ea b a ab e b he dd
e hi . A ha ef i e i.

A d he e he b gbea , he e he e e ea ca i . A he a e i e ha
e e i e ab he fe ha a ded i a e , e ea
b aided f fai i g a i ci a ai ha i cie a i .

I m hoping ha M ece e The Ma dib e a a e a

crime ri ers for b e e ie e f add e i g a A e ica ha i
e ample don all ha e aigh a d hi e . I ha e ha hi i a
personal e perience of ige e a i a fa i aga ab a hi e fa i . I
commi ing m rder a i i c i e i c i ed i e a a e ie
bi e a , i h i e ha igh di ac f ce a
bjec a e f a ca ic ec ic . Ye he
i ica i f hi c i ici i ha e ei eed gi e e e a i e fa
a ie fg i ca f cha ac e , a if i g he e e i gc a f
f e h e a a i e i i h ic di e i e ie e .

Y d i deed ee j hi b a d f e i i e e i i . The e a a i i he
a e 1990 a hich dde e e ic a d d a a i igh had ha e a ga
e bia cha ac e c e. Tha a g d e a a che f he cce f he
ga gh e e ,b ge ab e e: l ka , h i hi ,
ne f he cha ac e i h m e al!

We e g g h gh he a e fa h ab e e e c e ea he
a ge de cha ac e e e eT a a e a d O a ge he Ne B ac .

F e. B I d e e e e he gh a a e e he cha ac e
ha e a .

Be de : h ch be? We ha e e d ga de , a d e ab
e e e e e beca e e fe he e e e ce, e
ha e e e ca e a I d like each he ld ing C ca-C a ad e ?

F ca be da ge he e da g he d e e. E ec a ce he e
ee be a c e he ha Sa F a c c e e e f a d ha
ec a ca e h d be a e ha ha c e .

I The Ma d b e , I ha e e ec da cha ac e , L e a, h b ac . She a ed

a e ce a cha ac e , D g a , he Ma d b e fa 97- ea - d a a ch. I
ea ed ha D g a , a be a Ne Y e , d c ed b ha e ef h fe f a
bea f , a e Af ca A e ca beca e a ca d f c d e ec e
h h c c e, a d ee h ge e d b ec a .B he
e d he e D g a , beca e L e a e f ea e de e a, h e
h e - fe, a ch f d d, e d g a cha f de e a
e ea ch. A he e eache c a a d he fa ed ced he ee ,
he e b ged he add ed, d e ed L e a a ea h, ee he f
a de g .

I confess ha his Beh d, he e e e he Wa h g P , h

clima e of scr in has g de acc ed h b f be g ac beca e
go nder m skin d e ea c De c a c Pa e ca
, de c bed he ce e h : The Ma d b e a e
h e. L e a, he g e Af ca A e ca he fa ,
a e B c e a d de e ed. She eed be h ca
e a ed. A he f e bec ee e e d e a d he fa a e be f a
e e h gh he ee f a e Ne Y , he he d a he e d f a
ea h. If The Ma d b e e e ade a , gge ha h age
be e ed f he e e.

Y a h ,b ca , ea b g bac a e .

Th he d f de c , c e be e be ca ef . If e d
ch e e e e a e f ec ed g , ec a e a . If a
cha ac e ha e be b ac , he ha e be ea ed h d g e , a d e e be
 aced i ce e ha , a e fc e , igh ee di e ec f . B ha
a i e. The b de i g ea , he e f-e a i a i a a i g. The a a
e f ha i d f c i ici i he P i ha e i eId e any b ac
cha ac e , e he d a a hi g ha i h f e fec ad i ab e a d
e .

I fac , I e i ded f a e e I ecei ed i e a i e e h e f a

A e ia -A e ica h bjec ed h did I ha e a e he a a f We Need
Ta Ab Ke i A e ia ? He did i e a a , a d fe ha he e h ici
di a aged hi c i .I ai e ai ha I e e hi g ab
A e ia he i age, beca e be f ie d i he S a e a A e ia , a d I a
h gh he e a e hi g da a d agg ie ed i he c e f he A e ia
dia a ha a a he ica ge a e ha b . Be ide , I de ai ed,
e e e i he US ha a e h ic bac g d f e , a d he had be
e hi g!

E ecia f ie f adi i a i i eged de g a hic , he e age

ee be ha i a h e afe j a ea cha ac e f ha a e
de g a hic, ca be a ha d he a ca e be, a d d i h he
ha i e. A ai i g e f f a di e e ca , ae f ee; ha e
i ad e e i i ed a h f eg a i head, a if j ha i g j i ed
he EU. U e di e e ace , e h ici ie , a d i i ge de ide i ie , a d ae
bei g a ched.

I c fe ha hi c i a e f c i ha g de i . Whe I a
a i g a a e i , I did he i a e i e b ac cha ac e , f e a e,
a ai e f f b ac dia ec , f hich, ha i g g i he A e ica S h,
I had a e g d ea . I a ch ea i ab de ic i g cha ac e f
di e e ace , a d acce a e e e .

I de c ibi g a ec d-ge e a i Me ica A e ica h a ied e f

ai cha ac e i The Ma dib e , I ca e i e hi dia g e i a da d
A e ica E g i h, ecif ha he e ih a acce , a d e ai ha he
d ed S a i h e e i g e-i -chee . I d ce ai hi ice
e ha ice ab e e i i ga h e e , e e a g d ch f e,
f he e ec i e f a cha ac e h e ace i di e e f beca e I
a e e f a a ic c a ,b I a a i a he e e ab
a ac i g i i . B I hi ha a . I hi ha i dica e a c ac i f
ci a i e e ha i g df he b ,a d g df .

Wii g de he e d Ed a d Sch e V , he a h f he e a
I a Libe a P fe , a d M Libe a S de Sca e Me de c ibe highe
ed ca i c e c i a e f fea a d i hea i iced di c e f e a ic
e a d I a c ce ed ha h ch e h , h ch e ded e
ed a a ea , ha ead fa be d acade a, a ha c a ed a.

The lef embrace Wh , a ge de ee f g c a

of go cha ha I a Faceb a dT e , h ch c d
h per en i i i e a a c e e f-ce h f fea f
ine i abl in i e a ac . Te ea ag , I ga e he e g add e f h
backla h a e fe a, h ch I a a ed ha c e
ha e a e ed ee ec g e e e igh
e d he beca e f h g e ee e
fee g e e ad e e ce ca f g, he e a a
be e e he e h ed b ha a , a d f eed f eech dead.
W h he e f de c , h ch ege a b ec e e e f a
ac ab e ba f ec , ha a ba e ha he decade ce I a e
B ba e e e bee g.

W e: he ef e b ace f g cha h e e e ab e bac a h.

D adT a ea e e h ha e had he e eba h be g d
ha he ca a d ca a . P h g bac aga a a ea c e f ea -
-e e , he a h de a ce, a d he ha he a e
a a g.

Rega d g de c , ha e ec a adde ed e ececa ee a

e d a d e ec g he ad cac f a e h d e be ghe g .I
2013, I b hed B g B he , a e ha g e f f de
b he , h 2009 d ed f he c ca f bd be .I a ed
e he b f g ef, b a ah : he ea bef e h dea h,
a b he g e hea e , I a h d eadf he e e ea ed h h he
d be ea ed ac e fa e a a ,h he a d he e e a
each he af e he d de ed, h gh he had e e ed e f d ha a e
e e.

I a d a e h he a ea e e e cha ac e he e da
acc da ce h he e gh , a d ed ge he age d a a h ch
e eg e e a e h a e, e e a g h gf ea e a fe
e ce d .B ha h a db ee he de f he a ge ,
d h .

B e e e B g B he , I a ed ce a a e . M f he
e eb g he b he g g e e e e h . E ec a he US, fa
e f h e e he e e he ha e be e f , e he e e . I
e ed h he I had a ge a c e de ce h a Hea h a A S e
ac , h a ce ed b he e , h ch he had e e ead. Wh ch he
 ef ed ead. N am n f e laining ha he n el a n he ide, ha i a a
b k ha a e ibl ained b he a hea e le a e ea ed and h nfai l
he a e j dged, c ld e c me he c a n a h h n he a .

She and he c lleag e in he fa igh m emen did n an m ad cac . I c ld

n eigh in n hi ma e ial beca e I did n bel ng he cl b. I f nd hi an
a i ic, li ical, and e en c mme cial di a in men beca e in he US and he
UK, if nl kinn -minnie ill b b k, ee a a ed he l f
ec i e c n me a ddle.

I ha he clam ld f iden i li ic i al nde mining he e

ca e i ac i i claim back. A a c i n i e , eah, I d me ime deem m
na a an A menian. B ha nl b a f a a . Me el being A menian i
n ha e a cha ac e a I nde and he d.

We sho ld be Membe hi f a la ge g i n an iden i . Being

seeking o p sh A ian i n an iden i . Being ga i n an iden i .
be ond he Being deaf, blind, heelchai -b nd i n an iden i ,
cons raining ca egories n i being ec n micall de i ed. I e ie ed a n el
in o hich e ha e ecen l ha I had eg e f ll gi e a h mb -d n,
been arbi raril h gh i a e ibl ell in ended; i hea a in he
dropped b bir h igh lace. B in ela ing he Chine e immig an
e e ience in Ame ica, he a h f ad
cha ac e ha e e m l Chine e. Tha i , ha
f all he e e: Chine e. Which i n en gh.

I made hi ame in in ela i n gende in Melb ne la eek: b h a ie

and a e le, e h ld be eeking h be nd he c n aining ca eg ie in
hich e ha e been a bi a il d ed b bi h. If e emb ace na g -ba ed
iden i ie e cel , e cling he e cage in hich he ld eek a
. We ige nh le el e . We limi nn i n f h e a e, and in
e en ing el e a ne f a membe hi , a e e en a i e f t pe, an
amba ad f an amalgam, e a k n be een.

The eading and i ing f c i n i b i l d i en in a b a de i e l k

in a d, be elf-e amining, e ec i e. B he f m i al b n f a de e ai n
b eak f ee f he cla h bia f n e e ience.

Wh he f The i i f g d c i n i ne f e l a i n, gene i ,
o e a hi e oman
ha ing a black
c i i , a daci , and c m a i n. W i ing d ing he da and
hai le eading hen I g bed a nigh , I nd i an en m elief
Sede Alonge
e ca e he c n ne f m n head. E en if n el and h
Read mo e ie nl d b c ea ing an ill i n, c i n hel fell he
Half a hro gh he no el, s ddenl he pro agonis has los he righ leg ins ead of
he lef one. O r idea of lesbian se is dra n from ooden in erne porn. E or s o
pers asi el en er he li es of o hers er di eren from s ma fail: ha s a gi en.
B ma be ra her han ha ing o r heads aken o , e sho ld ge a fe poin s for
r ing. Af er all, mos c ion s cks. Mos ri ing s cks. Mos hings ha people
make of an sor s ck. B ha doesn mean e sho ldn make an hing.

The ans er is ha modern clich : o keep r ing o fail be er. An hing b be

obliged o designa e m e er charac er an ageing e-foo - o smar ass, and
ha ing o se e er no el in Nor h Carolina.

We c ion ri ers ha e o preser e he righ o ear man ha s incl ding

sombreros.

This is he f ll ranscrip of he ke no e speech, Fic ion and Iden i Poli ics, Lionel
Shri er ga e a he Brisbane Wri ers Fes i al on 8 Sep ember. Her la es book The
Mandibles, is p blished b Harper Collins.

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