Great pieces and I am sure you had so many good reasons to choose these. But also you write GIRLS. And I would have loved to have seen more (or at least an equal number of) women writer’s words, voices and experiences amplified in this edition. And not just more women - more spotlighting diverse lived experiences overall. This round up is a platform. So it matters who is mentioned here. Does Substack have any inclusion/representation guidelines for curating these?
My take on guidelines is that - they are whatever the user makes of them. I don't think they are facile or artificial or a tick-box exercise. They can encourage our creativity and push us to explore a richer variety of lived experiences in our reading and writing.
I use them in my day job and they challenge my biases, push me to research new ideas and voices - which I may not have otherwise thought about - and stop me from relying on people/ideas I already know out of laziness or familiarity.
We all have biases - they are not a bad thing - but they are dangerous when they stay subconscious. We live in an unequal world - I think we need tools to support us to be aware of what we do not see due to the limits of our lived experience.
I was also a bit disappointed. There was only one woman! There are so many amazing voices that could be amplified on Substack Reads. However, it often only features writers with huge followings. I mean previous editions. It would be great to develop a sensitivity to amplifying voices from all backgrounds, including small and large publications, men, women, lgbtq and people of colour.
Yes I completely agree. I would love to have more ideas of people to subscribe to who I may not otherwise have heard about.
I think the whole point of reading newsletters is to explore unique ideas which may or may not make it past the gatekeepers in the publishing industry.
I want niche and unique insights into the world. i want different styles of writing - not just 'objectively good publishable writing.' I want different lived experiences I can explore and understand. I want the diversity and I would love to see it featured more here!
I wonder, I can relate to women and men alike, but in these cases it is not the gender of the writers I fixate on, but the ideas the individuals present. I don’t see how the identity of the individual is relevant other than for the basis of presumption
Thanks Freya so much for including my essay in this fantastic selection of pieces, I am very glad to hear reading my words felt like a walk out in nature - that is exactly the response I am after!
At last… all my thoughts written down on paper! Thank you . Exactly what I think about…. A friend who flew around the world for 50 years called to give me the “great” news. She had just found an “app” that tells her where all the bathrooms are in her area of Va. Not in all our years of International travel did we need an “app” for that.
Flush! However, the pictures we could have taken… !!!!
I recommend this writer I have come to be a huge fan, and dare I say...stalker...lol..amazing talent a savory blend of true life experiences with a clever sarcastic splash of irony and courageous call to arms..Bravo tp my new beautiful distraction and mentor or partner in crime..either way I'm in...some things defy logic...completely entertained and kinda intimidated...
Great pieces and I am sure you had so many good reasons to choose these. But also you write GIRLS. And I would have loved to have seen more (or at least an equal number of) women writer’s words, voices and experiences amplified in this edition. And not just more women - more spotlighting diverse lived experiences overall. This round up is a platform. So it matters who is mentioned here. Does Substack have any inclusion/representation guidelines for curating these?
“Does Substack have inclusion/representation guidelines…”
Hopefully they don’t and hopefully they never cave to such a facile and artificial “guideline”.
My take on guidelines is that - they are whatever the user makes of them. I don't think they are facile or artificial or a tick-box exercise. They can encourage our creativity and push us to explore a richer variety of lived experiences in our reading and writing.
I use them in my day job and they challenge my biases, push me to research new ideas and voices - which I may not have otherwise thought about - and stop me from relying on people/ideas I already know out of laziness or familiarity.
We all have biases - they are not a bad thing - but they are dangerous when they stay subconscious. We live in an unequal world - I think we need tools to support us to be aware of what we do not see due to the limits of our lived experience.
I was also a bit disappointed. There was only one woman! There are so many amazing voices that could be amplified on Substack Reads. However, it often only features writers with huge followings. I mean previous editions. It would be great to develop a sensitivity to amplifying voices from all backgrounds, including small and large publications, men, women, lgbtq and people of colour.
Yes I completely agree. I would love to have more ideas of people to subscribe to who I may not otherwise have heard about.
I think the whole point of reading newsletters is to explore unique ideas which may or may not make it past the gatekeepers in the publishing industry.
I want niche and unique insights into the world. i want different styles of writing - not just 'objectively good publishable writing.' I want different lived experiences I can explore and understand. I want the diversity and I would love to see it featured more here!
YES YES YES 🙌 Same - was disappointed to not see more female writers featured!
I wonder, I can relate to women and men alike, but in these cases it is not the gender of the writers I fixate on, but the ideas the individuals present. I don’t see how the identity of the individual is relevant other than for the basis of presumption
Thanks Freya so much for including my essay in this fantastic selection of pieces, I am very glad to hear reading my words felt like a walk out in nature - that is exactly the response I am after!
Hadden
I’m so pleased she chose you! ☺️
At last… all my thoughts written down on paper! Thank you . Exactly what I think about…. A friend who flew around the world for 50 years called to give me the “great” news. She had just found an “app” that tells her where all the bathrooms are in her area of Va. Not in all our years of International travel did we need an “app” for that.
Flush! However, the pictures we could have taken… !!!!
Wow, this round up is particularly refreshing. There is so much beauty in the world, amongst the sadness 🕊️🤍✨
A+ on this week’s selection. So many new gems for me!
Love The Preamble and @sharonsaysso!
Ridiculous, attention grabbing, headline. Don’t need trash like this in my Inbox. Especially when it has Zero Merit. Unsubscribed..
Go ahead and roast me.
Sounds sexist.
Really appreciate the feature. Great selection.
Yes, mission 2029.
Really great, thank you!
Market will crash someday!
Thanks Freya!
I recommend this writer I have come to be a huge fan, and dare I say...stalker...lol..amazing talent a savory blend of true life experiences with a clever sarcastic splash of irony and courageous call to arms..Bravo tp my new beautiful distraction and mentor or partner in crime..either way I'm in...some things defy logic...completely entertained and kinda intimidated...
Thank you for this selection. I’m new round here and these give me some great starting points.
I loved this collection - diverse, provocative, intelligent. thank you.