Susan Hawthorne was born in Wagga Wagga, NSW and grew up on two farms in the Riverina. She has worked in publishing and literature for over twenty years, and also works in universities and a range of community and activist groups. She is an aerialist, poet, novelist, academic and political commentator.

Susan has a PhD in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the University of Melbourne. Among her other qualifications are a BA (Hons) in Philosophy (La Trobe University) and MA (Prelim.) in Ancient Greek Language (University of Melbourne). Her academic and political commentary includes work on globalisation; land, water and biopiracy; war, violence and torture; intellectual property rights and cyberfeminism, as well as cultural commentary on lesbian literature and culture. Her non-fiction books include Wild Politics: Feminism, Globalisation, Bio/diversity (2002), September 11, 2001: Feminist Perspectives (co-edited with Bronwyn Winter, 2002), CyberFeminism: Connectivity, Critique and Creativity (co-edited with Renate Klein, 1999), Australia for Women: Travel and Culture (co-edited with Renate Klein, 1994) and The Spinifex Quiz Book (1993). She works as a Research Associate at Victoria University, and has supervised PhDs in creative writing at VU for a decade, and more recently in Political Science at University of Melbourne.

She is also a novelist, The Falling Woman (1992/2003), and has co-edited a number of anthologies of fiction, drama and poetry. Anthologies include Car Maintenance, Explosives and Love and other lesbian writings (co-edited with Cathie Dunsford and Susan Sayer, 1997), Angels of Power and other reproductive creations (co-edited with Renate Klein, 1991), The Exploding Frangipani (co-edited with Cathie Dunsford, 1990), Moments of Desire (co-edited with Jenny Pausacker, 1989) and Difference (1985).

Renate Klein was born in Zurich, Switzerland and has degrees from universities of Zurich, London and the University of California (Berkeley). She is known internationally for her work on reproductive technologies and information technologies. She has spoken to parliamentary committees and on TV, radio and print media about ethical issues in reproductive medicines. Her books include the international bestseller Test Tube Women (co-editor; translated in German and Japanese, 1984). Her other books include: Theories of Women's Studies (co-editor with Gloria Bowles, 1983), Man Made Women (co-author, 1986), The Exploitation of a Desire (Deakin University Press, 1989), Infertility (translated into German, 1989), Radical Voices (co-editor with Debbie Steinberg, 1990), Angels of Power and other reproductive creations (1991) RU 486: Misconceptions, Myth and Morals (co-author, 1991); Australia for Women: Travel and Culture (co-editor with Susan Hawthorne, translated into German, 1994). She is co-editor with Diane Bell of, Radically Speaking: Feminism Reclaimed (1996), with Susan Hawthorne of CyberFeminism (1999), with Jan Fook, she co-edited A Girl's Best Friend: The Meaning of Dogs in Women's Lives (2002) and with Jan Fook and Susan Hawthorne of Cat Tales: The Meaning of Cats in Women's Lives (2003) and HorseDreams: The Meaning of Horses in Women's Lives (2004). She has a forthcoming book Radical Reckonings. She is Associate Professor of Women's Studies. She was a founding member of FINRRAGE (Feminist International Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering) and is on the Board of Hands Off Our Ovaries.