Writer Benjamin Law: Gay, Millennial & Asian-Australian | MAKERS WHO INSPIRE

Summary

The speaker, a writer from a diverse background, shares their passion for creating engaging, educational, and relatable stories. They discuss the importance of representation and authenticity in their work, drawing from personal experiences as an Asian-Australian and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The speaker embraces their identity and uses it to enrich their storytelling, aiming to educate and connect with audiences through unique perspectives.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker finds joy in reading and aims to provide similar experiences to readers through their writing, including entertainment, education, and a sense of companionship.
• 🌟 They are drawn to unique stories that challenge their perspectives and make them reflect on the unfamiliar.
• 🤓 The speaker identifies as a 'nerd' with a passion for learning, which is a central theme in their work, often focusing on educating themselves and others about diverse communities and unanswered questions.
• 🎭 The speaker sees screenwriting as a medium that can also educate and raise awareness about underrepresented family dynamics and societal issues.
• 📖 Growing up, the speaker was an avid reader, using books and magazines as a means to explore the world beyond their suburban surroundings.
• 🏆 Early recognition from Rolling Stone for a published letter sparked an interest in writing as a profession.
• 🌈 The speaker acknowledges the visibility of their identity as an Asian and gay individual and has embraced these aspects in their work, challenging stereotypes and promoting representation.
• 💼 They do not shy away from being labeled based on their identity, as long as it is in various ways, reflecting their diverse interests and experiences.
• 🏞️ Coming from a predominantly white region of Australia, the speaker was unaware of the country's multicultural nature until confronted with discrimination, which shaped their understanding of identity.
• 🧩 The speaker views their dual cultural identity as a common Australian experience, where home and public cultures coexist, and believes this duality enriches their storytelling.
• 🔍 They leverage their unique perspective as a storyteller, using their differences to create original content and challenge mainstream narratives.

Q & A

What does the speaker aim to achieve when writing?

The speaker aims to provide entertainment, education, and a sense of companionship through their writing, similar to what they experience as a reader.

What kind of stories is the speaker interested in?

The speaker is interested in stories that are new and thought-provoking, ones that they haven't encountered before and that challenge their perspectives.

How does the speaker view the role of learning in their work?

The speaker sees learning as a fundamental part of their work, using it to educate themselves and others about diverse communities and questions that are not commonly addressed.

What was the speaker's childhood like in terms of reading and writing?

The speaker grew up with a lot of reading material to keep them occupied, and they developed a passion for writing after having a letter published in Rolling Stone magazine.

How does the speaker's identity as a writer intersect with their ethnicity and sexuality?

The speaker embraces their identity as a writer from a minority background and does not shy away from being labeled as a 'gay Australian writer' or 'Asian writer', seeing it as a way to represent diverse voices.

What was the speaker's experience growing up in coastal Queensland?

The speaker grew up in a predominantly white area of Australia, unaware of the country's multicultural nature until political debates about immigration and multiculturalism made them aware of their differences.

How does the speaker feel about being pigeonholed as a writer?

The speaker is open to being pigeonholed as long as it's in various ways, as they find it fun and believe it allows for a broader representation of their identity.

What challenges did the speaker face growing up with a dual cultural identity?

The speaker struggled with reconciling their home life, which was steeped in Cantonese culture, with their public life, which was very 'white Australian', and with the external perception and treatment of their ethnicity.

How does the speaker view the concept of identity in relation to their work?

The speaker sees their points of difference, such as being from an ethnic and sexual minority, as valuable assets in their work, providing them with unique perspectives that contribute to original storytelling.

What does the speaker believe is the Australian story in terms of identity?

The speaker believes that the Australian story involves a blend of home and public cultures, where everyone comes from somewhere and has a mix of personal and public identities that coexist.