Brianna "Bri" Lee | |
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Born | Queensland, Australia | 13 December 1991
Occupation(s) | Writer, activist, and journalist |
Known for | Legal activism |
Notable work | Eggshell Skull |
Website | https://www.bri-lee.com/ |
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]
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 2015-2018, 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 and 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, whilst 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 and 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 and 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]
Together with Bond University’s Professor Jonathan Crowe,[26] 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.[27] Lee has been featured in advertising campaigns for brands including Sportsgirl,[28] Mimco,[29] Camilla & Marc,[30] and Fashion Journal.[31] Her advocacy has been recognised with a shortlisting for Women’s Agenda Leadership awards[32] and a placement as one of 2019 Fin Review’s ‘women of influence’.[33]
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.[34]
Lee hosts the 'B List Bookclub;' a monthly bookclub featuring Australian and international authors, with the State Library of New South Wales.[35] Lee has made several appearances on the ABC program 'The Drum,'[36] as well as appearing on Radio National,[37] discussing issues such as law reform, and her written work.
Year | Awards and fellowships |
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2016 | Inaugural Kat Muscat Fellowship[38] |
2017 | Griffith Review Queensland Writer's Fellowship[39] |
2018 | Queensland Literary Awards - Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Award[40] |
2019 | Australian Financial Review - Women of Influence 2019[33] |
2021 | University of Queensland Alumni Award, for advocacy for survivors of sexual assault and for law reform[41] |
Awards and listings for Eggshell Skull | |
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Year | Award received |
2018 | The Nib Award for Research and Writing - People's choice winner[42] |
2019 | Ned Kelly Award for True Crime Writing - winner[43] |
Davitt Award for Best Debut Crime Book - winner[44] | |
Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Biography of the Year - winner[45] | |
Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Matt Richell New Writer Award - shortlisted[46] | |
Council for Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS) Book Prize - shortlisted[47] | |
The Stella Prize - longlisted[48] | |
Indie Book Awards - shortlisted[49] | |
People's Choice Award, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards[50] |
Awards and listings for Who Gets To Be Smart | |
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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[51] |
2022 | Longlisted for the 2022 Australia Book Industry Awards for Non-Fiction |