Romance Australia has established a Sub Committee to guide and support diversity and inclusion at RWA.

Mission Statement

To represent authors from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and authors writing about diverse backgrounds and experiences.

The Sub Committee’s working definition of diverse encompasses all ages, cultures, ethnicities, social backgrounds, neurodiverse and physical abilities and attributes, all genders, and all sexual identities.

Objectives

  • To build and maintain a genuine culture of inclusiveness.
  • To better serve RWA members from diverse backgrounds.
  • To support and foster the same opportunities and access to opportunities for diverse authors, authors of diverse romance, and #ownvoices that exist for mainstream romance writers.
  • To recognise the diversity of our society, and to work to create a safe place that will attract RWA members from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives.
  • To institute specific, measurable actions that increase diversity and inclusiveness at both the membership and leadership levels.
  • To ensure that RWA’s ongoing engagement with the publishing industry encourages diversity.

Membership

Membership to the subcommittee is open year-round. We invite any interested members of RWA to join the Sub Committee by sending an EOI email.

Chair
Jack Bridges


Stephanie Ashton
A. Caswell
Sandra Damevski
Renee Geelen
Kim Lambert
Novalee Swan

Get in touch
diversity@romanceaustralia.com

2022 Diversity and Inclusion Sub Committee Meeting Schedule
Meetings are held online every 8 weeks on Wednesdays at 7pm AEST.

WANTQLDSANSW, ACT, VIC, TAS
AWSTACSTAESTACST / ACDT*AEST / AEDT*
Wednesday 10 February5:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm7:30 pm*8:00 pm*
Wednesday 7 April5:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm
Wednesday 2 June5:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm
Wednesday 28 July5:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm
Wednesday 22 September5:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm
Wednesday 17 November5:00 pm6:30 pm7:00 pm7:30 pm*8:00 pm*

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sub Committee members have compiled a list of resources for members of Romance Writers of Australia. Practical guides, writing resources and references are featured including preferred language to use, websites that give detail to diverse focus areas of physical ability, sexual and gender identity, videos on challenging ageism are amongst some on the list.

Diversity, equity and inclusion at Harlequin

A diversity, equity and inclusion update from Harlequin. This June 2022 blogpost is an update on what Harlequin is doing to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in our publishing programs.

Resource library
Romance-Writers-Australia-_Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Resources_October-2022Download

As new resources are published or become known to us, we will continue to add to this list. To keep the list current, the Sub Committee will review it annually.

We invite your contributions, and to advise of updates needed, please email the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sub Committee.