“Sorry White Cis Men, The World Is No Longer Your Oyster”: Miss Blanks Takes On Kirin J Callinan

Yesterday, we broke the news that Kirin J Callinan will no longer be appearing on the 2018 Laneway line-up. Earlier this week, festival organisers quietly removed his name from their event poster — hoping, perhaps, that no one would notice.

But while Laneway only pulled the trigger on Callinan this week, conversations about removing him from the line-up actually began months ago, after he exposed himself on the ARIA Awards red carpet. Junkee understands, as does triple j, that the decision to remove Kirin from the line-up came after discussions between Laneway organisers and other artists on the bill.

One of those artists was rapper and certified next-big-thing Miss Blanks, who gave a statement to Junkee yesterday about the news.

“I applaud the organisers of Laneway’s decision to remove Kirin J Callinan from the festival line-up,” she told us. “His reckless and insensitive actions reinforce entitled male behaviours which normalise sexual assault. Amidst the metoo discussions, it’s important to see preventative actions as well as support systems.

“Sorry white cis men, the world is no longer your oyster.”

Miss Blanks, AKA Brisbane’s Sian Vandermuelen, also spoke to triple j’s Hack and posted on Instagram about the news.

RE: Kirin J Callinan being removed from Laneway Festival 2018. – Today at 5:30pm, I’ll be on @triplejhack expressing my views on the removal of Kirin J Callinan from the Laneway Festival 2018 lineup. I believe in the importance of a process of accountability which is why I applaud the organisers of Laneway’s decision to remove Kirin J Callinan from the festival lineup. His long and recent history of reckless and insensitive actions reinforces an entitlement which permits Kirin and others like him to dismiss valid issues, and normalises racism, ableism and sexual assault. Amidst the ‘me too’ discussions, it’s important to see preventative actions as well as support systems. I feel good knowing that Laneway Festival are working hard with their artists, including myself, to create a more inclusive and safe space for its talent, staff, and patrons, as well as the introduction of the 1800 Laneway program.

A post shared by MISS BLANKS (@miss.blanks) on Jan 17, 2018 at 10:31pm PST

“I feel good knowing that Laneway are working with myself and other artists to create a more inclusive and safe space for everyone,” Vandermuelen told Hack. “I expressed [to Laneway organisers] how I felt, they definitely took that on board, and they had internal conversations besides the ones done with me, and it’s led to the decision of Kirin being kicked off the line-up, which is great.”

She also pointed out that the ARIAs stunt wasn’t the first time Kirin’s fucked up. “There hasn’t been any accountability process, there hasn’t been any apology, there hasn’t been any steps towards learning and unlearning, and there’s been no willingness to right wrongs,” Miss Blanks told Hack.

“So until that happens, if this means him and others like him don’t get certain opportunities, then that’s just how it is. I think he needs to take this as a learning step, and it also shouldn’t be on the shoulders of minority groups to do the emotional and mental labour for him either.”

Yesterday, Callinan responded to his removal from the line-up on Instagram. “To all the kind and inquistive folk that’a bin reachin out re Laneway ~ I appreciate the concern & I’ll address this in time, you have my word. As it stands, I will no longer be performing at Laneway this year,” he wrote.

Laneway have not responded to Junkee’s request for comment or made a public statement about why they removed Callinan from the line-up.