Editor’s note: Because Delfin Bautista does not identify with one gender, the non-gendered pronoun “they” is used.
Writer Ali Liebegott is making her way to Athens to share her passion for writing, hoping to light a spark of inspiration in those she comes across.
In a two-day visit sponsored by the Women’s Center and LGBT Center, Liebegott, author of The Beautifully Worthless and The IHOP Papers, will give a reading of her work on Monday.
She will also host a workshop on creating believable characters on Tuesday, something she said she tries to present in her own writing.
“Growing up in that time where I didn’t have a lot of access to literature that had queer content, it’s really important to me that I present those characters so maybe someone else does,” Liebegott said.
Liebegott said she wants to stress the importance of characterization, especially from the queer community and working class people.
Delfin Bautista, director of the LGBT Center, said they are excited to see how the world of academia is pushed with a speaker from the creative field of work.
“(I’m looking forward to) her ability to combine both feminist and queer thought together in helping people express their identities and how that translates, not only to writing, which is going to be one her focuses, but just how…we look at expression more broadly,” Bautista said.
With Liebegott’s two-day stay, Bautista said they hope she will be able to get an understanding of the Athens community to use during her presentations, especially the workshop.
“It’s a time for students, faculty, staff (and) the community to engage Ali and ask her questions, and for her to get to know us here so that in her presentation, especially on Tuesday, she has a better sense of where people are coming from and local culture and local dynamics, and being able to bring that in some way in her presentation,” Bautista said.
Excited for the partnership between the centers, Women’s Center Director Susanne Dietzel said she thinks these events will appeal to a large variety of people.
“This should be of interest to our feminist community, should be of interest to our LGBT community, should be of interest to our creative writers,” Dietzel said. “I think this really has a lot of overlap.”
Liebegott said she is looking forward to interacting with students, faculty and staff.
“I want people to enjoy the work, enjoy the characters,” Liebegott said. “If they’re writers, I want them to feel inspired to do their own work.”
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If You Go
What: An Evening with Ali Liebegott
When: 6:30 p.m., Monday
Where: Walter Hall Room 235
Admission: Free
What: Expressing Identities through Writing
When: 10 a.m., Tuesday
Where: Baker University Center Room 403
Admission: Pre-registration required, contact Sarah Jenkins: Jenkins1@ohio.edu, 740-593-9625
