Erin Riley
Sydney
As seen in:
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I am too many things at once. She/hers. erinrileyau@aus.social
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Articles by Erin Riley
Archer Asks: DJ Estée Louder on dancefloor politics, dyke history and dark club sounds
Estée Louder founded regular club night and podcast series CONTROL. CONTROL exists to create space for women and queer people operating and existing in the electronic music realm. CONTROL seeks to bridge the tyranny of distance between Australia and the rest of the world, bringing together international guests and their local counterparts in dance floor unification. CONTROL yearns for Lesbian Underground Techno Utopia.
Queer eroticism in Catholic iconography
On Good Friday last year, Vulture music critic Craig Jenkins interviewed Sufjan Stevens, an indie musician whose music itself is intimate in both a religious and sexual sense. Although the interview covered Stevens’ recent albums and tours, many media outlets latched onto what he said about his songs ‘John My Beloved’ and ‘To be Alone with You’ – specifically, about the closeness of two Biblical figures Jonathan and David. “The Bible’s very gay. Just all men.
Archer Asks: Courtney Barnett on searching for signs and being a Scorpio
In the hands of Courtney Barnett, fragments of everyday life become rich and riveting. A deft lyricist and virtuosic guitarist with inimitable musicianship, Barnett first found critical acclaim with 2013’s The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas and broke into the mainstream in 2015 with her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.
Mad Pride: Resistance against sanism and psychiatric oppression
Content note: This article discusses suicide, mental health, trauma, abuse, assault, family violence, psychiatric hospitalisation, sanism and queerphobia. I was born in 1990 into a family with a long history of emotional distress. In 1996, at the age of six, I was removed from my mother’s care due to her deteriorating mental health following my parents’ divorce. This separation marked the beginning of a tumultuous journey through foster care, poverty and emotional neglect.
Transness, body image and travel: I ate cheese on holidays
Content warning: This article discusses disordered eating and disordered exercising. For a long time, I was not a fan of the overseas holiday. I was rigid and liked routine, and had struggled on my few previous international trips. I had trouble navigating new places and found change and spontaneity difficult. I had flown to Europe once before, in 2013, and, knowing myself well, visited just Berlin and Copenhagen – two cities, all I could manage. A lot has shifted in 10 years.
Archer Asks: Poet Maria van Neerven on Blak history, family and language
Maria van Neerven is a Mununjali poet from the Yugambeh nation living in Meanjin. Maria was the winner of the David Unaipon Award in 2023 and was a Next Chapter Fellow in 2024. Two Tongues is her first poetry collection. Two Tongues is available to buy online or at your favourite independent bookstore. In this interview, I chatted to Maria van Neerven about culture, family and Blak truth-telling. Note: The spelling in this interview reflects the author’s voice and intention.
Innovation Will Stall in Your Company Unless You Do This
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Every company says it’s innovating right now. New AI pilots, new platforms, new “transformations” built for speed. But recent retention data shows why that story keeps breaking down. The Work Institute’s 2025 Retention Report found that 63% of job exits in 2024 were preventable, driven by issues such as career stagnation, work-life imbalance and weak manager support.
Congress must act to keep health care affordable
Open enrollment to sign up for health coverage on Idaho’s state health insurance exchange, Your Health Idaho, is underway, running through Dec. 15, and this year comes with new challenges for thousands of Idahoans. Unless Congress acts, the enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs) that have made health insurance more affordable will expire on Dec. 31, forcing families and small business owners to face dramatic increases in their monthly payments.
25,000 Idahoans are expected to drop their health insurance if Congress doesn't act on tax credits • Idaho Capital Sun
by Erin Riley, Idaho Capital Sun November 7, 2025 Open enrollment to sign up for health coverage on Idaho’s state health insurance exchange (Your Health Idaho) is underway in Idaho, running from Oct. 15 through Dec. 15, and this year comes with new challenges for thousands of Idahoans. Unless Congress acts, the enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs) that have made health insurance more affordable will expire on Dec.
The moment I knew: the dancefloor parted and I found Merryn - we kissed all night
I knew of Merryn for years before we met. We floated on the peripheries of each other’s lives for over a decade, later finding ourselves in the same old party photograph, on different sides of a garden full of punks. We shared a best friend, each of us just names in his mouth. I’m off to see Mez in Alice, he’d say. Have fun, I’d reply. On New Year’s Eve 2017 in a gutter, in someone else’s lap, I found myself deep in conversation with Merryn.
Popular Memoir Reads in KYD — Kill Your Darlings
Non-fiction pitches are now open! This round we’re particularly interested in short-form memoir pieces, so we have collated some popular memoir pieces published in KYD recently: On Motherhood and the Creative Life by Megan Cheog A Farewell to Cheung’s Court by Eugene Yiu Nam Cheung Promising Young Writer By Laura Elizabeth Woollett The Harmony and Hierarchies of a Girls’ Choir By Phoebe Lupton Smart For An Aboriginal By Courtney Jaye How Wrestling Made Me Gay By Erin Riley Want to develop...
Debut Spotlight: Erin Riley on 'A Real Piece of Work' — Kill Your Darlings
Each month we celebrate an Australian debut release of fiction or non-fiction in the Kill Your Darlings Debut Spotlight feature. For August, that debut is A Real Piece of Work by Erin Riley (Penguin Random House), an exhilarating, thought-provoking and joyful debut that asks how we create our identities and how we can transcend them. We spoke to Erin about their publishing journey and writing process.
A Real Piece of Work: A Memoir in Essays
Author(s): Erin Riley LGBTQIA+ 'Language gave to me the body I knew was mine and brought into existence so many possibilities for what my gender can be.' Across these twenty fresh and boldly intimate stories, Erin Riley writes about the things that matter most- family, heartbreak, humanity, justice and swimming, and the messy, hard graft of becoming one's authentic self.
Trans people and language: Why words make a world of difference
I work as a social worker in a prison. It is a tough gig working in a system that is oppressive by design and marginalises the marginal. It’s even tougher as a non-binary trans person who is also an abolitionist, plugging away for a wage in a system that perpetuates ongoing violence against queer and trans and Indigenous people. I look like Kurt Russell in his Escape from New York days. I wear button-up corduroy shirts, I dye my moustache and sometimes I wear earrings with a dangly silver chain.
Breaking the glass ceiling in Australian elite sport
When the top coaching job at the North Melbourne football club recently became available, Lisa Alexander decided to throw her hat in the ring. Alexander’s coaching experience is formidable. She is the two-time Australian Institute of Sport coach of the year. She coached an Australian national team to two World Cup finals, one world cup win and a Commonwealth Games gold medal. She coached one of the top teams in the world for almost a decade. It’s the type of experience clubs dream of in a coach.
100 Names to Use If You Want to Name Your Baby Girl After Her Dad
There are plenty of places to find inspiration for your daughter's name including from the men in her life. In fact, research (unfortunately) shows that résumés with traditionally female names are less likely to be selected than an identical résumé with a male name. But not every dad has a name that he can easily share with his baby girl. Ahead, discover our list of names that are similar to popular male names, with a feminine twist.
The View from the Edge
The view from our verandah. Photo by Matthew Hatton. The grass is not just dry, it’s dead. When we walk outside, it crunches under our feet. We feed the birds and leave out buckets of water, because there’s just nothing else for them to eat and drink. Our dam, which was designed to accomodate a large overspill, is completely dry. The ducks that nested on the tiny island in the middle, safe from foxes, have found new homes. Once-lush gullys are now time bombs of brown fuel.
Harris statue marks a turning point for AFLW
The photo has it all: the outstretched leg, the eyes looking up, the arm across her body. Her braid and her ponytail. Her tattoo, her taping, her orange boots. Grace and poise and ferocity and talent and work. If only for these things, it would have been a perfect way to reflect the messy, complicated beauty of the first few years of the AFLW. But it was the response to the photo of Tayla Harris that elevated that moment from the representative to the iconic.
Women still fighting for territory in unequal AFL
As we approach the fourth season of the AFLW, the future of the competition seems secure. The competition, which wildly outperformed expectations from its very first game, has been a boon for the AFL. The gains for the clubs involved and the organising body have been significant, yet gains for the players have lagged behind — at least in material terms.
The myth of the leg-up for women's sports
The saying goes, 'When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.' Sometimes, it's worse than that: when you're accustomed to privilege, even meagre attempts to work towards equality can be interpreted as unfair. This attitude is evident in conversations about affirmative action and quotas. And it's often evident in the way we talk about sport.
The frontlines of voter suppression in the US
But the rest of Waller County is majority white. Even including the population of Prairie View, the county overall is almost 58 per cent white, and the majority of the white population votes Republican. The young, majority-black student body at Prairie View A&M, on the other hand, are a solidly Democratic constituency.
Comment: In-home child care industry in desperate need of oversight
Since news broke of Greens’ leader Richard Di Natale au pair advertisement, debate has raged as to whether or not he and his wife paid their carers minimum wage. According to adverts, in exchange for 25 hours work a week, the workers would receive board (a place to live on site and groceries or meals) and $150 a week. But the bigger issue is not whether this particular arrangement is legal, but that broader industry of nannying needs more oversight.
10 Ways Childbirth Is Definitely Not Like The Movies
We all know how it goes. After nine months of only slight nausea, your water breaks, you rush to the hospital, and a short time of intense pushing and screaming, out pops your perfectly clean and lovely baby, right? For most women, childbirth is nothing like the movies. Here are ten things most films get very, very wrong.
Have You Taken Your Kids to Every Theme Park in Australia?
You don't need to jet off to Disneyland or book a week on the Gold Coast to have some theme park fun: there are parks in almost every corner of Australia. From regional parks with a roller coaster and not much else, to water adventure parks, you might find that an afternoon of adventure is closer than you think.
9 Useful Products To Make Bath Time Easier
It's the end of the day. You've just survived dinner (though the less you think about the state of the floor under the dinner table, the better). But between you and that glass of wine you're so looking forward to stands a major obstacle: bath time. Bath time might never be a breeze, but thanks to some enterprising people, it can definitely get easier.
4 Things We Should All Keep in Mind When Posting Photos of Our Kids
To share or not to share, that is the question. As the first generation of parents to have been on social media our whole adult lives, it's almost automatic that we will continue to share our lives online as we move into parenting. But deciding how much of your kids' lives to share on social media is surprisingly tricky. There are plenty of reasons to share. Our kids are part of our lives, we include them in everything else, so why wouldn't we include them in our social media?
Australian Mums Share Their Best Parenting Advice
Mother's Day isn't just a day for mothers to revel in the love and be thoroughly spoiled by their families: it's also a day where we can celebrate each other and the journey we share together. SO this Mother's Day, POPSUGAR Parenting asked some Australian mums for their best advice, so we can all benefit from their wisdom. Here's what they had to say:
The 7 Words You Should Never Say to a Pregnant Woman
My pregnancy was anything but blissful. Diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, I spent most of the nine months throwing up regularly. I was hungry, weak, and I couldn't sleep for more than an hour at a time (thanks, pregnancy bladder). I could not wait for it to be over. Yet when I talked about how I was struggling with pregnancy, both on social media and in person, I'd frequently hear the same thing, the seven words I came to hate more than any others: "Just wait until the baby is born".
"Ignore The Noise and Look to Yourself": Elle Halliwell on Being a Survivor
In May 2016, journalist Elle Halliwell was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a rare and serious form of cancer that is incurable, but can be managed with medication. Two days later, Elle discovered she was pregnant. She couldn't take the medication she required while pregnant, so Elle faced an impossible decision: take the risk with her own health by delaying treatment, or terminate her pregnancy.
An Open Letter to All the Mums Who Make the World a Better Place
When you're a Mum, it sometimes feels like you're being pulled in a thousand different directions at once. Gone are the days when most of us can focus primarily on our homes and raising our children. We are mothers, yes, but we are also employees, business owners, partners, daughters, and friends. On any day, we can be in any combination of these roles at any one time. We're going back to work sooner after our babies are born than ever before.
The Ultimate Guide to Entertaining Your Kids During the School Holidays
Wasn't it just yesterday that school holidays were ending? And yet, here they are again. With cooler weather on the way, may of the summer holiday go-tos aren't exactly seasonally-appropriate. So we've rounded up some of our favourite Autumn holiday activities to keep your little ones entertained.
Our economy is failing families
But as I drop my daughter at daycare at 6:30am three days a week, to be looked after by someone else who I then have to pay, to go to work to earn enough money to pay our rent and daycare (and not much more), I am almost daily struck by how much our system is failing families. It was a failure of my own empathy that I only truly came to understand this after I experienced it personally. In the 17 months since my daughter was born, I have worked harder than I ever have before.
The Benefits of Consuming Your Placenta Post-Birth
When you're pregnant, there are a few questions you'll probably expect. Are you having a boy or a girl? Are you planning to have a natural birth? Are you going to eat your placenta? Yes, eating your placenta has well and truly entered the mainstream: it's even been hilariously mocked by The Katering Show. But is human placentophagy (the technical term) worth the effort? The truth is, the jury is out on that.
New Parents Rave About This App to Help Them Get Through the First 6 Months
The first few weeks after your baby is born are a whirlwind. You're tired, they're tired, and just when you think you've got it down, they change on you. It's no wonder the Australian app Wot Baby is so popular with new parents. Created by former Mothercraft nurse Jen Hamilton, the app provides detailed advice for every stage in the first six months of your baby's life.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: A Deep Dive Into The World of Online Parenting
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: A Deep Dive Into The World of Online Parenting Leandra Cohen, founder of Manrepeller, is known for her honesty. She's not afraid to share some of her most private moments, and has been open about her tough journey to motherhood. So when she posted a selfie after the birth of her twin daughter, you would expect everyone to congratulate her, and say nice things. But no. Instead, many of the comments on her Instagram were negative.
These Click Frenzy Junior Deals Are Definitely Worth The Wait
These Click Frenzy Junior Deals Are Definitely Worth The Wait Click Frenzy is coming for all things kids and baby, with a one-day sale that includes kids' clothes, furniture, toys and travel. Originally launched as the Australian equivalent of Cyber Monday, Click Frenzy is an annual 24 hour online sale with big discounts.
15 Awesome Activities To Keep Your Kids Entertained This Easter
Easter Colouring In Pages 15 Awesome Activities To Keep Your Kids Entertained This Easter With Easter just days away, channelling egg-anticipating excitement can be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent Easter crafts and activities you can do to keep your young ones thinking about something other than chocolate: at least for a little while.
Heat Up Your Glue Gun: It's Easter Hat Parade Time
It's Easter. Hot cross buns, chocolate bunnies and yes, craft. There's nothing quite like discovering the note in the bottom of your kid's daycare backpack saying, yes, you need to create a hat in time for the party. Which is tomorrow! These amazing Easter hat ideas all come with instructions and many of them pass the last minute test. From cardboard sharks to daisy chains made with cupcake holders(!), here are some ideas that will have your kids proudly parading this Easter.
We Love This Easter Tradition Because It Keeps You Warm All Winter
I had never heard of Easter Pyjamas until I was in high school, but on hearing that my friend Bronwyn got one chocolate egg, a book, and a new pair of warm Easter PJs every year, I was immediately struck with jealousy. What an amazing tradition! Since then, every time I'm mentioned it, I've received mixed reactions. For every person who says "Yes! We did that in my family!", there's at least two who have never heard of it.
Treats, Toys, and Tricks: Your Ultimate Guide to 2018's Easter Show Bags
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is just around the corner, and that means adorable animals, interesting vegetables and woodchopping competitions. This year, there are show bags for everyone in the family, ranging from $2 for the classic Bertie Beetle Blue bag, all the way through to $30 bags, for this year's hottest toys (including the bags for Star Wars Episode 7 and Trolls). We've collected our favourites from among the hundreds of bags available this year.
11 Easter Basket Present Ideas That Aren't Just Chocolate
With just a few weeks to go until Easter, child health experts are reminding us that young kids are eating too much "sometimes" food (and not enough vegetables). So if you're looking for a way to cut back on the chocolate overload without your kids feeling like they're missing out, an Easter gift can be the perfect way to do it.
To Share or Not to Share: Parenting and Social Media
To share or not to share, that is the question. As the first generation of parents to have had been on social media our whole adult lives, it's almost automatic that we will continue to share our lives online as we move into parenting. But deciding how much of your kids lives to share on social media is surprisingly tricky. There are plenty of reasons to share. Our kids are part of our lives, we include them in everything else, so why wouldn't we include them in our social media?
What International Women's Day Means For Parents
There's so much to love about International Women's Day. It's a day where we can focus on how far we've come and what we have left to do. Where we can commit anew to fighting for women in leadership, for equal pay, for visibility. In short, we can fight for equality. Plus, there are lots of really good breakfasts.
Why It's Important for Kids to Grow Up Watching Women's Sport
This feature is dedicated to our #NoChangeNoFuture initiative. From the Women's March, to Australia voting yes to same sex marriage, and the #MeToo movement, 2017 taught us to look beyond ourselves and come together as a collective of powerful women who are writing our own history. Join us as we cancel setting one-dimensional personal resolutions this January and commit to being the change we want to see. Because without change, there is no future. It's something we hear again and again.
Can Babies Be Vegan? An Expert Weighs In
It's easy to see why more and more people are choosing to live a vegan lifestyle: it is healthy, has a low environmental impact, and checks some big ethical boxes. But is raising kids in a vegan lifestyle safe for them? We asked Dietician Dr Kate Marsh, PhD. PS: Let's jump right into it: is it safe to raise your kids in a vegan lifestyle? KM: It is safe to bring up a child vegan.
It's Starting to Cool Down—Here's What to Dress Your Kids in This Autumn
You can feel it already: the soft chill in the air that spells the end of beach days and that the leaves are starting to change. It's time to pack away the swimmers and shorts and trade them for winter woolies: warm coats and cozy jumpers, long pants and patterned tights. Kids autumn clothes can be as adorable as they are practical. Keep reading to find some of our favourite Australian kids clothes options for this autumn and winter.
This Pregnancy Announcement Is Proof That Everyone's Journey to Motherhood Is Different
This Pregnancy Announcement Is Proof That Everyone's Journey to Motherhood Is Different After years of struggling with endometriosis and going through IVF, Thessy Kouzoukas today announced she is pregnant. In a moving video posted on Instagram, she contrasted the lowest moment of her endometriosis treatment with the thrill of hearing her baby's heartbeat during a sonogram. Thessy, one of founders of Sabo Skirt, has been open about what it means to live with endometriosis, and going through IVF.
Claire Holt, On How We Can Support Each Other Through Miscarriage
This feature is dedicated to our #NoChangeNoFuture initiative. From the Women's March, to Australia voting yes to same sex marriage, and the #MeToo movement, 2017 taught us to look beyond ourselves and come together as a collective of powerful women who are writing our own history. Join us as we cancel setting one-dimensional personal resolutions this January and commit to being the change we want to see. Because without change, there is no future.
25 Australian-Themed Baby Names For Your Little One
Australian Baby Names 25 Australian-Themed Baby Names For Your Little One From place names to Aboriginal Australian words, there's plenty to choose from if you're looking to add some Australian flavour to your baby name choice. Whether you're a first-generation Australian or your family has been here for centuries, choosing a first or middle name that honours your nationality can be a lovely personal touch. And from Acacia to Ned, there's probably a name you'll love on this list.
The Cult Baby Products You Will Obsess Over When Your Little One Arrives
The Cult Baby Products You Will Obsess Over When Your Little One Arrives Your shopping list might change when you have a baby, but some things don't: there are still those items you love, the things you swear allegiance to, that you recommend to everyone. These aren't necessarily the big names, though there are a few big-name products that inspire devotion. For the most part, though, these are the brands you hear about, whispered from one mum to another. "Have you tried . . . ?" they ask.
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