I am so glad that you haven't given up and instead continue on Substack. It is so cruel and horrible and female-hating and racist how Instagram treated you, tried to erase you and take away your work. I wish there was justice. But Substack does seem a wonderful way to continue. I have two blogs on Wordpress, including almost the entire book I co-wrote, but it's terrifying to know what they have done to other women that they could do to us at any time.
A dear friend who uses the name Gallus Mag did an incredible blog at Wordpress for about 8 years, called GenderTrender. She was one of the first who courageously wrote against the trans cult, in spite of the death threats they sent her and are still sending. Then, one white man, who had sued immigrant Women of Color for saying no to waxing his testicles in a women's salon, also went after Gallus and got her work of so many years shut down. No warning, so she lost it all. No record of those years, her work, and the many women who wrote in and commented. I think she has quit and it's a huge loss for us all, as is your work being removed.
But you're continuing! It was Eva Kurilova who told me about Substack and interviewed me to counter the disgusting slander that the man who has stalked me since I was 17 got printed by another man posing as a Lesbian (or bisexual, when it suits them) in what used to be a Lesbian journal, Sinister Wisdom. Eva was so kind and wonderful to work with, and it was a relief that that man (who is openly racist and also preys on young women) did not get final say in his nasty lies about me, though SW will not print my response there of course.
I really should put all my work on Substack but everything seems so overwhelming so I haven't. But it's wonderful to know you are there and not stopped, and other women will be writing there too!
Thank you so much! I love to see you work continuing. I'm trying to not lose strength by going into nature to see wildlife and wildflowers and then take photos (posting on facebook), but that takes away from my writing. Our books has been updated at my first blog though and all is still valid to share.
Your writing is both personal and political at the same time, and that's a real gift. I'm also happy that you didn't give up because your voice matters and you have a lot to contribute to the discussion we're having, or should be having.
Marx wrote that an individual can only become fully human in the context of a relationship with another person, through that person. Part of that is the experience of being 'seen' by, and 'seeing', the other at the same time. It's the beautiful, loving, compassionate, and authentic process of mutual authentication, and ideally it happens in all of our significant relationships.
Cancellation is the opposite of this enlightening, connective experience. It's an act of obliteration, to make you disappear and to stop you from being seen. That's why we fear it, and why it hurts. It's dehumanising. And that's why they do it. They want to dehumanise us, erase our humanity, because our thoughts differ from theirs, because we have a different way of seeing things.
All forms of expression--academic and non-academic writing, art, music, blogging, etc.--are ways of making ourselves vulnerable to the gaze of the other, with the hope that the other will authenticate that expression and ultimately, our humanity. We are social beings, and the woke strike at the very core of who we are as a species. They are ruthless, cruel, and inhumane...all with that arrogant smirk they all wear when they're 'enlightening' us with their wisdom.
I can't go into it now (because I need to think this through more carefully) but I want to mention that cancellation is extremely dangerous to society. It legitimises the act of closing off your humanity to another, which is at the root of totalitarian societies. If the woke continue ravaging our social norms and reinforcing cruelty as a valid form of dealing with disagreement, this dynamic will spread to other areas of society and move us toward a crueler, heartless world. And they have the audacity to call themselves the Left, or Socialists, when every fiber of their being has absolutely no connection to these ways of thinking or living.
Keep up the great work, Nevlynne, you're a beautiful soul.
Wow, thank you so much. I really resonate with what you've shared, deeply. It gives me strength and a lot to think about. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and also your kind and genuine words for me & the work that I do. 🌺
Your writing really speaks to me. I am so glad you’re still here. I made a Substack just to follow you. I got chills when you mentioned reminding yourself about your Pauli Murray piece. I’m not usually one to leave comments, but I just wanted to say thank you 🌸
Hi Jamila, I am so grateful to have you along this journey with me. I also feel a kindred-spiritedness with you and some other women who resonate with me as I walk my path. I am glad you can relate to this and I remember some moments where you have mentioned following your heart as an Artist and how we have to pull through even when we are discouraged. At the core of that is really about being true to ourselves. I also believe this is the way we find true love and connection. Yes, there is space for all of us! 💛🌺🌱
Hi Chandra, I have blocked Nick, based on how he responded to my note, so I don't think he will be able to comment here. My blog is not a public forum for white folks/men to center their "debates" on the existence of white supremacy and misogyny--or to gaslight myself and other black women into their degraded view of what empathy should look like.
It's a space for me to write, express myself, and connect with like-minded women who feel nourished by my work.
I am honestly somewhat horrified and saddened to read this thread but it has opened my eyes as to what kinds of people are following me or even claiming themselves as paid supporters. I feel called to write a post to make clear what my space is all about for those who may just be here to consume one aspect of my voice.
Wow! Yeah, Linkedin is definitely stiff corporate button-up vibes. I'm sorry to hear that this happened, and I definitely feel like their approach mirrors how black women are treated in most corporate workplaces.
You're right, and you make a good point. I am disconnected from what Substack (as a brand) promotes because I never see myself reflected in who they promote.
I do feel safe in the sense that I trust my work will not be torn down for talking about systemic racism, gender-critical issues, or the like...and I don't feel a threat of being harassed by those who disagree with me, even if my neighbors are neo-nazis. From what I have seen, everyone pretty much stays in their own lane here and caters to their own audience.
On that note, end game for me is to build here and then to go completely independent by creating my own platform. I don't expect any platform to stay or feel the same forever, including Substack. But, I think this platform is a great tool for now.
I'm so glad you're here too! Thank you so much for subscribing and sharing your story with me 🌺
Wow, Chandra. I am looking at the conversations going on here and it's all very eye-opening. I will be honest that the little warning you gave in your first comment, on Substack not being as safe as it might seem, has been slightly haunting me.
And now I can see some of these dynamics playing out. This is like the wild wild west.
Our lived experiences with racism and misogyny, the pain and bloodshed we and our ancestors have survived, are reduced to theoretical constructs and debatable concepts, picked apart, and re-framed as mere foolishness.
This is nothing new. And it is not unique to Substack-but this platform offers a space where it's encouraged outside of the usual confines of liberal thought and academia.
On the other hand, it is very interesting that someone like me, can attract people who I fundamentally disagree with on other issues that deeply affect my life, simply because we all agree about gender ideology. We're really not all in the same boat.
I am clear though, that black women are centered here, and that is not just skin-deep. I anticipate some pushback on that. But a little resistance will be necessary for me to cultivate my ideal space and audience as I grow.
Just observing, for now...
And in the meantime, I could not help but write a note about it...
I am glad you've clarified black women will be centered here, though would I probably feel more comfortable to hear it was just women in general. I've visited the USA 5x and on those occasions met women who describe themselves as black amerikan but other than those brief visits I don't know personally any women who call themselves black in my local community (though some have ethnic backgrounds and skin colouring different from mine) so I fear my ability to understand what the significant differences might be are limited. The history of your country is very different from mine. I am here to listen and discuss and look forward to it
I am here for the debate and hope it will be balanced and respectful. I am many things anti racist BiPOC are judgemental of, mainly white skinned and I believe that the societies and cultures which grew based on principles my Enlightment ancestors postulated aren't totally pernicious.
I also live in Australia & in a tiny rural village, so I have unique perspectives on American culture and values.
Over 7 years I have suffered a great deal of social media cancellation. Been kicked off Patreon. Instagram and Pinterest. It started with being accused I was a racist cultural appropriator because of defending using the word kimono. As an artist I have been kicked out of international arts organisations, denied memberships and blocked from following 100s due to "incompatible values". Even on Substack I have occasionally had comments removed because my opinions are regarded too provocative. I regularly get denigrated as a racist because of questioning cultural appropriation along with being called a bigoted transphobe because I don't believe men can turn into women. Interestingly I, and numerous other women, were recently labelled "nazis" for attending a women's rights rally by the local mainstream media and the shadow Premier of the Australian state of Queensland.
Considering Chandras strongly expressed feelings I hope N3VLYNN will be a strong and fair ejudicator of discussion going into the future!
Chandra I'm dismayed to hear you've had such an awful and negative experience from an Australian man.
Your observations that Australian women are in a dire situation with the advance of transsexual ideology here is entirely correct. But women are mobilising and we are pushing back strongly.
As a subscriber to two feminist writers on Substack, I’m scarcely aware of anything neo-Nazi and I’m rather pleased that a white male ownership is capable of delivering a much safer, kinder space for women than other platforms, even when the topics and issues are highly-charged and emotive. Of course men have much to answer for, but there is a difference between constructive criticism and unbridled misandry. It’s worth applauding the value of a safe, kind platform that serves all of us, including men trying to unpack years of social and sexual conditioning, seeking to respond positively to feminist thinking. It is so much more productive for real societal progress than an echo chamber in a myopic social media silo.
I feel you, Chandra. I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom 💜 I also cringe at comments about misandry or reverse racism.
There is a lack of empathy from from most men and also white folks on these issues-even amongst the minority who intellectually agree with us on certain key issues. That intellectualism sadly does not translate into humanity--which is what we really need in order to heal as a society. Empathy is very humanizing.
I recognize that there are a lot of people who follow me who may not agree with some of my views on racism, or even some of my views on misogyny. I am writing an article now on white feminism and I am prepared to make some people angry.
There is a lot of gaslighting and we receive it double-time but we have to keep sharing our voices and experiences. Thank you. 🙏🏾
I will not engage with your demands. You are a bully. I'm not here to give you therapy or to assuage your personal pain. I suggest getting your obvious needs met in more appropriate places.
I am so glad that you haven't given up and instead continue on Substack. It is so cruel and horrible and female-hating and racist how Instagram treated you, tried to erase you and take away your work. I wish there was justice. But Substack does seem a wonderful way to continue. I have two blogs on Wordpress, including almost the entire book I co-wrote, but it's terrifying to know what they have done to other women that they could do to us at any time.
A dear friend who uses the name Gallus Mag did an incredible blog at Wordpress for about 8 years, called GenderTrender. She was one of the first who courageously wrote against the trans cult, in spite of the death threats they sent her and are still sending. Then, one white man, who had sued immigrant Women of Color for saying no to waxing his testicles in a women's salon, also went after Gallus and got her work of so many years shut down. No warning, so she lost it all. No record of those years, her work, and the many women who wrote in and commented. I think she has quit and it's a huge loss for us all, as is your work being removed.
But you're continuing! It was Eva Kurilova who told me about Substack and interviewed me to counter the disgusting slander that the man who has stalked me since I was 17 got printed by another man posing as a Lesbian (or bisexual, when it suits them) in what used to be a Lesbian journal, Sinister Wisdom. Eva was so kind and wonderful to work with, and it was a relief that that man (who is openly racist and also preys on young women) did not get final say in his nasty lies about me, though SW will not print my response there of course.
I really should put all my work on Substack but everything seems so overwhelming so I haven't. But it's wonderful to know you are there and not stopped, and other women will be writing there too!
Thank you so much for your words of support, Bev. I'd love to see your work on here! You can take your time, there will always be a space for you. 🌺
Thank you so much! I love to see you work continuing. I'm trying to not lose strength by going into nature to see wildlife and wildflowers and then take photos (posting on facebook), but that takes away from my writing. Our books has been updated at my first blog though and all is still valid to share.
Your writing is both personal and political at the same time, and that's a real gift. I'm also happy that you didn't give up because your voice matters and you have a lot to contribute to the discussion we're having, or should be having.
Marx wrote that an individual can only become fully human in the context of a relationship with another person, through that person. Part of that is the experience of being 'seen' by, and 'seeing', the other at the same time. It's the beautiful, loving, compassionate, and authentic process of mutual authentication, and ideally it happens in all of our significant relationships.
Cancellation is the opposite of this enlightening, connective experience. It's an act of obliteration, to make you disappear and to stop you from being seen. That's why we fear it, and why it hurts. It's dehumanising. And that's why they do it. They want to dehumanise us, erase our humanity, because our thoughts differ from theirs, because we have a different way of seeing things.
All forms of expression--academic and non-academic writing, art, music, blogging, etc.--are ways of making ourselves vulnerable to the gaze of the other, with the hope that the other will authenticate that expression and ultimately, our humanity. We are social beings, and the woke strike at the very core of who we are as a species. They are ruthless, cruel, and inhumane...all with that arrogant smirk they all wear when they're 'enlightening' us with their wisdom.
I can't go into it now (because I need to think this through more carefully) but I want to mention that cancellation is extremely dangerous to society. It legitimises the act of closing off your humanity to another, which is at the root of totalitarian societies. If the woke continue ravaging our social norms and reinforcing cruelty as a valid form of dealing with disagreement, this dynamic will spread to other areas of society and move us toward a crueler, heartless world. And they have the audacity to call themselves the Left, or Socialists, when every fiber of their being has absolutely no connection to these ways of thinking or living.
Keep up the great work, Nevlynne, you're a beautiful soul.
Wow, thank you so much. I really resonate with what you've shared, deeply. It gives me strength and a lot to think about. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and also your kind and genuine words for me & the work that I do. 🌺
Thank you 🙏
So glad your name appeared in my notifications. Thank you for this!
Likewise! So happy to welcome you as a reader. I look forward to reading your work too. Thank you for your support. 🌺
Your writing really speaks to me. I am so glad you’re still here. I made a Substack just to follow you. I got chills when you mentioned reminding yourself about your Pauli Murray piece. I’m not usually one to leave comments, but I just wanted to say thank you 🌸
Aww thank yew, that means a lot to me. I really appreciate your support, and I am grateful that my words could have such a powerful effect on you.
Sending love & good vibes your way 🌺🙏🏾🌺
Standing Ovation!
Thank yew 🌺🙏🏾🌺
That’s me told! Of course, I agree with almost everything you say. This is why I’m here. We are not at war. War is an expression of failure.
Hi Jamila, I am so grateful to have you along this journey with me. I also feel a kindred-spiritedness with you and some other women who resonate with me as I walk my path. I am glad you can relate to this and I remember some moments where you have mentioned following your heart as an Artist and how we have to pull through even when we are discouraged. At the core of that is really about being true to ourselves. I also believe this is the way we find true love and connection. Yes, there is space for all of us! 💛🌺🌱
Hi Chandra, I have blocked Nick, based on how he responded to my note, so I don't think he will be able to comment here. My blog is not a public forum for white folks/men to center their "debates" on the existence of white supremacy and misogyny--or to gaslight myself and other black women into their degraded view of what empathy should look like.
It's a space for me to write, express myself, and connect with like-minded women who feel nourished by my work.
I am honestly somewhat horrified and saddened to read this thread but it has opened my eyes as to what kinds of people are following me or even claiming themselves as paid supporters. I feel called to write a post to make clear what my space is all about for those who may just be here to consume one aspect of my voice.
Wow! Yeah, Linkedin is definitely stiff corporate button-up vibes. I'm sorry to hear that this happened, and I definitely feel like their approach mirrors how black women are treated in most corporate workplaces.
You're right, and you make a good point. I am disconnected from what Substack (as a brand) promotes because I never see myself reflected in who they promote.
I do feel safe in the sense that I trust my work will not be torn down for talking about systemic racism, gender-critical issues, or the like...and I don't feel a threat of being harassed by those who disagree with me, even if my neighbors are neo-nazis. From what I have seen, everyone pretty much stays in their own lane here and caters to their own audience.
On that note, end game for me is to build here and then to go completely independent by creating my own platform. I don't expect any platform to stay or feel the same forever, including Substack. But, I think this platform is a great tool for now.
I'm so glad you're here too! Thank you so much for subscribing and sharing your story with me 🌺
Yes, likewise, me too. Let me back up my subscriber list again 😁 Excited for you and your journey. Best Wishes 🌺
Wow, Chandra. I am looking at the conversations going on here and it's all very eye-opening. I will be honest that the little warning you gave in your first comment, on Substack not being as safe as it might seem, has been slightly haunting me.
And now I can see some of these dynamics playing out. This is like the wild wild west.
Our lived experiences with racism and misogyny, the pain and bloodshed we and our ancestors have survived, are reduced to theoretical constructs and debatable concepts, picked apart, and re-framed as mere foolishness.
This is nothing new. And it is not unique to Substack-but this platform offers a space where it's encouraged outside of the usual confines of liberal thought and academia.
On the other hand, it is very interesting that someone like me, can attract people who I fundamentally disagree with on other issues that deeply affect my life, simply because we all agree about gender ideology. We're really not all in the same boat.
I am clear though, that black women are centered here, and that is not just skin-deep. I anticipate some pushback on that. But a little resistance will be necessary for me to cultivate my ideal space and audience as I grow.
Just observing, for now...
And in the meantime, I could not help but write a note about it...
I am glad you've clarified black women will be centered here, though would I probably feel more comfortable to hear it was just women in general. I've visited the USA 5x and on those occasions met women who describe themselves as black amerikan but other than those brief visits I don't know personally any women who call themselves black in my local community (though some have ethnic backgrounds and skin colouring different from mine) so I fear my ability to understand what the significant differences might be are limited. The history of your country is very different from mine. I am here to listen and discuss and look forward to it
I am here for the debate and hope it will be balanced and respectful. I am many things anti racist BiPOC are judgemental of, mainly white skinned and I believe that the societies and cultures which grew based on principles my Enlightment ancestors postulated aren't totally pernicious.
I also live in Australia & in a tiny rural village, so I have unique perspectives on American culture and values.
Over 7 years I have suffered a great deal of social media cancellation. Been kicked off Patreon. Instagram and Pinterest. It started with being accused I was a racist cultural appropriator because of defending using the word kimono. As an artist I have been kicked out of international arts organisations, denied memberships and blocked from following 100s due to "incompatible values". Even on Substack I have occasionally had comments removed because my opinions are regarded too provocative. I regularly get denigrated as a racist because of questioning cultural appropriation along with being called a bigoted transphobe because I don't believe men can turn into women. Interestingly I, and numerous other women, were recently labelled "nazis" for attending a women's rights rally by the local mainstream media and the shadow Premier of the Australian state of Queensland.
Considering Chandras strongly expressed feelings I hope N3VLYNN will be a strong and fair ejudicator of discussion going into the future!
Chandra I'm dismayed to hear you've had such an awful and negative experience from an Australian man.
Your observations that Australian women are in a dire situation with the advance of transsexual ideology here is entirely correct. But women are mobilising and we are pushing back strongly.
As a subscriber to two feminist writers on Substack, I’m scarcely aware of anything neo-Nazi and I’m rather pleased that a white male ownership is capable of delivering a much safer, kinder space for women than other platforms, even when the topics and issues are highly-charged and emotive. Of course men have much to answer for, but there is a difference between constructive criticism and unbridled misandry. It’s worth applauding the value of a safe, kind platform that serves all of us, including men trying to unpack years of social and sexual conditioning, seeking to respond positively to feminist thinking. It is so much more productive for real societal progress than an echo chamber in a myopic social media silo.
IMHO Ms. Hardy has some anger issues. 😒
I feel you, Chandra. I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom 💜 I also cringe at comments about misandry or reverse racism.
There is a lack of empathy from from most men and also white folks on these issues-even amongst the minority who intellectually agree with us on certain key issues. That intellectualism sadly does not translate into humanity--which is what we really need in order to heal as a society. Empathy is very humanizing.
I recognize that there are a lot of people who follow me who may not agree with some of my views on racism, or even some of my views on misogyny. I am writing an article now on white feminism and I am prepared to make some people angry.
There is a lot of gaslighting and we receive it double-time but we have to keep sharing our voices and experiences. Thank you. 🙏🏾
That’s me told! I agree with much of what you say. That’s why I’m here. We are not at war. War is an expression of failure.
I have to remark on your equanimity in the way you responded to Chandras outburst so graciously. Respect.
I will not engage with your demands. You are a bully. I'm not here to give you therapy or to assuage your personal pain. I suggest getting your obvious needs met in more appropriate places.