@hamishmckenzie I’d like to respond as someone who has had a good experience w/ @SubstackInc and recommended it to others. I’m doing this publicly instead of via email ‘cos I want to be part of a wider conversation on this.

First: Substack should be transparent about who your Pro writers are.
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc Last year, I was a recipient of a Substack grant. This was made public: blog.substack.com/p/substacks-gr… I don’t see how the Substack Pro programme should be treated differently.

This transparency is important ‘cos it shows us who and what @SubstackInc thinks is worth investing in. Image
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc I came to hear of this issue after @sadydoyle pointed out that @SubstackInc paid significant advances to transphobic men, which helped them use Substack as a stage upon which to continue spreading these harmful views. I’d like Substack to confirm if these men are on Pro.
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle As someone who cares deeply about freedom of expression, struggles with it constantly in my country, and writes about it (often ON @SubstackInc), I’m supportive of a diversity of views. But I am very uncomfortable with this 👇🏼, especially given the context. Image
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle In the context of people pointing out that helping transphobes make money off their transphobia is problematic AF, this response suggests that transphobes are merely “controversial” (as opposed to harmful), and might actually be “the ones most deserving of support”. Really?! Image
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle Is that what @SubstackInc is saying? Is this your response to criticism against men like Graham Linehan, whose Substack is a never-ending fount of hatred for trans people? This is why you have to publish your Pro list. We need to know who you’re talking about when you say this. Image
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle This argument you’re making about @SubstackInc being merely a platform and a business, and not a publisher, is one we’ve seen before. And sure, writers own their own content and Substack doesn’t try to meddle with their editorial decisions or subscriber lists. ImageImage
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle But when you do something like Pro, where you are actively selecting people to advance $ to so they can set up and flourish on your platform, then you’re de facto making some editorial choices about what is supported on @SubstackInc.
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle In your own words, these are writers you think are “good bets”. Again, is @SubstackInc saying that advances to transphobic men is a “good bet”? Are we to understand that transgender people can be thrown under the bus as long as you think you can make $ off transphobia? Image
@hamishmckenzie @SubstackInc @sadydoyle I urge @SubstackInc to rethink this “we’re only a business and a platform, we don’t make editorial decisions” position, because when you start choosing who you want to write advances to, you are choosing who you want to support, and making de facto editorial decisions.

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More from @kixes

14 Mar
‘I feel weirded out by trans people but am too scared to say so publicly in case I get cancelled cos the woke movement has created such a climate of fear” says person who just got her article published in a major local media outlet todayonline.com/gen-y-speaks/g…
The author raises the example of JK Rowling as an example of why she's now afraid to admit that she still has questions and discomfort about transitioning and openly transgender people.
But the the Rowling tweet she highlights is *not* an example of someone who sincerely wants to learn. Rowling was glibly taking a position that trans women aren't women. This is very different from "I'm not well-versed in this issue and would like to know more."
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26 Jan
Today: A protest by Singaporeans against transphobia in the education system.
They've issued a statement and are using the hashtag #FixSchoolsNotStudents
Within minutes security officers have shown up saying that photos can't be taken and asking them to leave. 2 protesters have left but 3 remain. #FixSchoolsNotStudents
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24 Sep 20
I'd like to share the story of Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi, a young Nigerian footballer.

In 2007, at the age of 21, Tochi was hanged in #Singapore.
Tochi was arrested in Changi Airport in #Singapore on 27 November 2004. He was 18 years old.

He was later charged with importing not less than 727.02g of heroin. His case largely revolved around whether he could rebut the presumption clauses within the Misuse of Drugs Act.
What are these presumption clauses? First: if you have more than 2g of heroin, Section 17 of #Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act (here: sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/MDA1973#pr…) presumes that you are trafficking the drugs.
Read 23 tweets
23 Sep 20
This was brought to light on Monday. In an @STcom piece on Syed’s hearing, this is what the Ministry of Home Affairs had to say about the correspondence:

Turns out their position is there was no legal prohibition against sending privileged communication to the adverse party. Image
This is the @STcom story I got the screenshot from: straitstimes.com/singapore/cour… I believe the original headline was "Lawyer M Ravi seeks to delay drug trafficker's execution", but the story has since been amended to highlight the government's view/response.
According to Syed, the prison is executing Singaporeans first during #COVID19 since the families of foreigners can't visit. This, @MRavilaw argued, breaches Article 12 of #Singapore's Constitution that says all are equal before the law 'cos it treats lives differently.
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22 Sep 20
Some thoughts after observing the hearing for Syed Suhail bin Syed Zin today. Screenshots from my Facebook page since it's long and not particularly conducive to a thread. #deathpenalty #Singapore ImageImageImageImage
And one on what we know about how death row inmates' clemency petitions are considered in #Singapore.

tl;dr We don't know anything Image
Ultimately, I was very glad that the Court of Appeal decided to give both sides time to file further submissions, and that the next hearing will not take place before 7 October, thus giving Syed more time with his family. But these are the points I'm not pondering.
Read 4 tweets
22 Sep 20
Will be in court this afternoon for Syed’s hearing. 30k+ have signed a petition calling for clemency, he received a stay of execution, and the prison sent his privileged communication w/ his lawyer to the prosecution.

There has been no coverage by the local mainstream media.
Here's the @SCMPNews story on the hearing from @deweysim and @jbhavan: scmp.com/week-asia/poli…
Read 4 tweets

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