Lizzie Marvelly to launch That F Word in Rotorua

Singer-songwriter, and columnist, Lizzie Marvelly. Photo/File

Rotorua's Lizzie Marvelly describes herself as a musician, writer, producer and activist.

She found fame on a vocal stage well over a decade ago but these days spends more time writing words than singing them.

On Monday her first-person book That F Word: Growing up Feminist in Aotearoa will be launched at the Rotorua Public Library; a book she says is for "the bossy little girl in all of us".

That F Word tells the story of New Zealand's feminist roots, examines what Marvelly describes as our gender imbalances, challenges expectations in New Zealand society and celebrates the spirit of Kiwi women.

In the book Marvelly also shares her first-hand experiences of abuse, sexism and trolling while highlighting how young women are raised from birth and conditioned at school.

Marvelly was schooled at Glenholme Primary, Rotorua Intermediate and Rotorua Girls' High, so That F Word will make interesting reading about her experience growing up in Rotorua as a feminist.

According to the author, "there aren't enough words in the English language to account for all of the things that women are 'not enough' of".

"We're not thin enough. We're not smart enough. We're not kind enough. We're not generous enough. We're not fit enough. We're not tolerant enough. You name it, and you'll find an article or advertisement that tells women that we're not meeting the arbitrary standard we should.

"Women are advised not to walk home alone at night, not to drink alcohol, not to wear clothing that may show off our bodies, not to openly acknowledge that we are sexual beings, all in the name of protecting us from the unspeakable horror delivered by the crazed sexual sadist hiding in the shadows.

"We've been warned about the pressures of work environments, the 'cut and thrust' of politics, the rigours of professional sport and the high stress of academia by a society that is seemingly so concerned for our wellbeing that it sees danger for the female of the species at every turn. How very convenient.

"How much healthier would we be as a society if we allowed people to define themselves, without conditioning them to feel like they have to think and act in certain ways or casting them as 'others'?" Marvelly asks.

"It's time that we took a long, hard look at our culture and the impact that it has upon all of us – men, women and people of all genders. It's time that we deconstructed the expectations, the assumptions, the representations and the generalisations ascribed to our identities."

The launch of That F Word: Growing up Feminist in Aotearoa, runs from 5.30pm to 7pm on Monday.

Mayor Steve Chadwick will open the night at 6pm and Marvelly will speak at 6.10pm to 6.25pm and include a reading from the book.

Tickets are available from McLeods Booksellers for $10 each.