Megan Milks is an author known for writing many cross-genre works, ranging from poetry to short stories and even create-your-own story books. Milks read some of their work for the Kellogg Writer series at the University of Indianapolis on Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Trustees Dining Room in the Schwitzer Student Center. Identifying themself as a non-binary individual, they produced and produces many works criticizing society and brings to light many LGBTQIA issues in contemporary society.
“I think it is always subversive for people who were assigned female at birth and were socialized as women to write about sexuality, sex, sexual pleasure and desire,” Milks said. “And I think that goes doubly for queer women because queerness has been oppressed.”
From scholarly writings such as “Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives” to fiction “Kill Marguerite and Other Stories,” Milks can mold the English language across fiction and non-fiction genres.
One of the creative writing pieces read at the event involved struggles with self-acceptance and a past relationship and was co-authored with Milks’ ex-lover, Cara.
“During the period when my apartment grew hair, we had been working together for a year,” Milks read, “working to confront my gender trouble and my struggle to achieve radical self-acceptance. But always what we talked about was Cara.”
Milks received a master’s degree at Temple University and is currently working on a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing at the University of Illinois while teaching undergraduate writers. Under the tutelage of Samuel R. Delany, another author who has many cross-genre works, Milks has honed their craft. Milks’ works have been included in “30 Under 30: An Anthology of Innovative Fiction by Younger Writers” and is a finalist in the LGBT Debut category of the 27th Annual Lambda Literary Awards.
In the question-and-answer section, a student asked Milks if they always knew they wanted to be a writer.
“I think it’s all I wanted, but when I went to college it seemed too dreamy for me,” Milks said.
Another individual inquired what advice they would give to a young and aspiring writer.
“Read promiscuously, read as much as possible and read all kinds of things,” Milks said.
Senior creative writing major Hunter Little said she was inspired by Milks’ works.
“They were weird and different, and I don’t think I’ve read anything close to what those are like,” Little said. “She [they] is definitely a trailblazer for sure, because I think she [they] has the ability to inspire other writers.”
