Speaker Series: Beyond Trans Visibility

Trans and gender diverse authors discuss representation, creative practice, and writing pathways beyond visibility.

Join writers Zoe Terakes, Lee Lai, Liz Duck-Chong and Hasib Hourani for a rich conversation about their creative practice. The panel will delve into the joys, challenges and complexities of visibility, exploring representation and craft across forms and genres. Together, they’ll consider how writing can move beyond visibility alone, and instead contribute to a culture of trans safety, justice and collective flourishing.

Borrow the panellists' books from the library.

We may take photos and video of the speakers and audience. See details here.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

ZOE TERAKES is an actor and writer living and working on Gadigal land. They are a vocal advocate for trans rights within arts industries and on a global scale.

Zoe was most recently seen on screen in A24's critically acclaimed film Talk to Me and the Marvel Studios series Iron Heart. Their other acting credits include Nine Perfect Strangers, Creamerie, Wentworth and Ellie & Abbie. Zoe has also worked extensively across Australian stages, including the Belvoir, Melbourne Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre and The Old Fitz Theatre. They have received two Sydney Theatre awards, including the Best Newcomer Award, and were also nominated for a Helpmann Award.

Eros is Zoe's debut literary work, inspired by their Cretan heritage. Full of sex, water and rage, this stunning collection reimagines five ancient Greek queer myths.

LEE LAI is an Australian cartoonist living in Tio’tia:ke (colonially known as Montreal, Canada). In 2021, she was selected as one of the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 for her debut graphic novel, Stone Fruit, which went on to win several awards, including the Lambda Literary Award, the Cartoonist Studio Prize, the Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize, and two Ignatz Awards. Her comics have appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, the New York Times, Granta, and the Museum of Modern Art’s Magazine. Her second graphic novel, Cannon, published in Australia by Giramondo in 2025, is shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, the QWF Literary Awards, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the GLAAD Media Awards, and was named a ‘best book of 2025’ by the New York Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, NPR, Guardian Australia and ABC Arts.

LIZ DUCK-CHONG is a writer, researcher and carpenter whose work is primarily in LGBTQ+ sexuality, storytelling and education. Her writing hopes to uplift the lives and work of trans communities, and when not stringing sentences together she co-owns recycled timber yard Among The Trees. Liz is a proud trans and bisexual woman and lives and works on Wangal and Gadigal land.

HASIB HOURANI is a Lebanese-Palestinian author and editor living on unceded Gadigal Country. His debut book, rock flight was released with Giramondo in 2024 and won the Mary Gilmore Award and the NSWLA Kenneth Slessor Award for Poetry. It was also shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Poetry, among others.

ABOUT THE VENUE:

MARRICKVILLE PAVILION AND LIBRARY is accessible by lift from both the street and ground levels. The venue is accessible for people using wheelchairs and other mobility aids. There is a hearing loop available.

If you have any access or support requirements in order to participate fully, please let us know when you book via the order form to ensure that we can arrange any reasonable adjustments.