Thread by @kixes

@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.

@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.

@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?!

@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.

@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.

@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?

@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.