Tanya Selvaratnam Explained

Tanya Selvaratnam (born)[1] is a writer, film producer, activist,[2] and actor.[3] In January 2014, Selvaratnam published The Big Lie: Motherhood, Feminism, and the Reality of the Biological Clock. In 2021, she published Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence. Selvaratnam is a co-founder of The Federation, a coalition of artists, organizations, and allies committed to promoting art as a tool of intercultural communication and tolerance. She is also known for having made allegations of intimate partner violence against New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman; her allegations, as well as similar allegations made by other women, led to Schneiderman's 2018 resignation from office.

Early life and education

Selvaratnam was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was raised in Long Beach, California.[4] Sheattended high school at Phillips Academy Andover[5] and graduated from Harvard University in 1992.[6] Her master's thesis on the interplay of law and practice with regard to women's rights in China was published in the Journal of Law and Politics.[7]

Career

Selvaratnam is the Senior Advisor,[8] Gender Justice Narratives, for the Pop Culture Collaborative. She is the author of two books: The Big Lie: Motherhood, Feminism, and the Reality of the Biological Clock (2014) and Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence (2020).[9] [10] Amazon Studios plans to create a limited series based on Assume Nothing, with Mimi Won Techentin serving as show runner. Priyanka Chopra Jonas will serve as a producer on the project and may star in the series.[11]

With the artist Laurie Anderson and the producer Laura Michalchyshyn, Selvaratnam is a co-founder of The Federation,[2] [12] [13] which she describes as "an unprecedented coalition of artists, organizations, and allies committed to keeping cultural borders open and showing how art unites us".[13] The Federation was formed in response to the Trump travel ban. One year after Trump was inaugurated, the Federation and various artists held an Art Action Day.[12]

Selvaratnam has produced for Joy To The Polls.[14] She has engaged in media relations for the Rubell Family Collection in Miami. As an actor, she performed in “The Shape of Things,” a day of workshops and performances at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City.[12] As an activist, Selvaratnam has worked with the Third Wave Foundation, the NGO Forum on Women, the World Health Organization, and the Ms. Foundation for Women.[15]

In 2020, Selvaratnam was a volunteer for the Biden-Harris Policy Committee and also served as Content Chair[16] of Arts for the campaign.

Personal life

From 2016 to 2017, Selvaratnam dated New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The two first met at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. In May 2018, Selvaratnam and other women made allegations of physical abuse against Schneiderman; The New Yorker published a report on their allegations.[17] Three hours after the allegations were made public, Schneiderman resigned from his office.[17] Selvaratnam recounted her experience with Schneiderman in her 2020 book, Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence.[18]

Bibliography

Books

Filmography

Notes and References

  1. News: Welch . Liz . January 14, 2014 . The Big Lie About Your Fertility. Cosmopolitan.com .
  2. Web site: Four women including arts and culture producer Tanya Selvaratnam accuse New York Attorney General of abuse. May 8, 2018. The Art Newspaper - International art news and events.
  3. Web site: The Dark Side of Dating New York's Top Prosecutor and How His Accuser Healed Herself. Peoplemag . Gillette . Sam . February 23, 2021.
  4. Web site: Andrew. G.G.. Writers Who Read: Tanya Selvaratnam. July 22, 2014. Ggandrew.com. September 29, 2014.
  5. News: Boarding School Life . The New York Times . September 13, 1997.
  6. Web site: Unconventionally Extracurricular: Thomas M. Lauderdale '92. www.thecrimson.com. Herwitz. Edith . May 22, 2017.
  7. Tanya SJ Selvaratnam. Backseat Driver: Steering Chinese Women's Voices Through the 1990s. Journal of Law and Politics. 12. 1996.
  8. Web site: Segalini . Daria . Tanya-Selvaratnam . April 29, 2024 . Popcollab.org.
  9. Web site: Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence. HarperCollins.com. November 27, 2021.
  10. Web site: The Big Lie: Motherhood, Feminism, and the Reality of the Biological Clock. November 27, 2021. Rowman.com.
  11. News: Priyanka Chopra Jonas to produce, possibly star in 'Assume Nothing' adaptation . Anderson . Daniel . 1 March 2023 . . 17 July 2023.
  12. Web site: Art-World Activist Tanya Selvaratnam Among Women Accusing New York Attorney General of Abuse. Julia. Halperin. May 8, 2018. Artnet News.
  13. Web site: TANYA SELVARATNAM ON THE POWER OF PURPOSE. medium.com. March 29, 2018.
  14. Web site: Joy to the Polls: the group performing for Americans as they line up to vote. October 26, 2020. The Guardian. November 27, 2021.
  15. Web site: Opinion: Women don't need any more Big Lies. Selvaratnam . Tanya . February 8, 2014. CNN.
  16. Web site: For the arts, there's only one choice in this election. September 28, 2020. Theartnewspaper.com. November 27, 2021.
  17. Four Women Accuse New York's Attorney General of Physical Abuse . Mayer . Jane . Farrow . Ronan . The New Yorker . May 7, 2018. May 7, 2018.
  18. News: Column: Eric Schneiderman accuser shows us we're all victims of men taught to dominate the world. January 31, 2020. Los Angeles Times. November 27, 2021.
  19. Web site: Catherine Gund's AGGIE, a portrait of Agnes Gund, receives world premiere at Sundance Film Festival. artdaily.com. January 14, 2020.