Wow! I have a lot to say about this, but I will not bore you will my banter about the ludicrously of this all. However, I will say I gladly subscribe to your substack because first your psychological content along with psychoanalysis is actually priceless. $6 is a small fee for this mental along with physical labor in addition to constantly and continuously dealing with dissenters. And on the second ‘fake’ gripe especially coming from women, it’s just rubbish. Please keep doing what you do. My girlies and I over here truly appreciate you and what you do!
I am happy to pay for your work! You write passionately, intelligently, and introspectively about serious topics that change people’s lives. Charge what you need to, to make that you always can! Hell, do you have a donation link so that those who have the means can further support your reader scholarships?
Just reading the complaints.... I let the expletives fly!! Are these people for real? Ugh. I love Zawn precisely because I appreciate the hard work this actually is, I subscribed because it was a no brainer and I also thought it's a steal considering how much work and value these articles objectively are. As for the tone? That's exactly why I love this subscription so much!! Truth. Compassionate truth.
To your reader “woman business owner” who wants you to work for free: I’m a DV survivor who is being impoverished by my ex, on public assistance and bordering bankruptcy from the legal fees. This work has literally allowed me to survive and at times feel like living is better than suicide. If we had to pay for air, we would pay. I fully support you and your method. It is exceedingly fair and responsible. And I pay because it is medicine. Sorry, you can’t please everyone. Her comments are more about her than about you, IMHO.
Yes! I'm 2.5yrs free of my DV relationship yet still under the financial abuse thumb. I used to read and share Zawns articles whilst still in the relationship.
Signing up and paying the sub fee once I had control of my own money again felt powerful. I actually hope he sees it in my financial disclosures and Google's what I'm paying for. I'd happily pay $6 a month just to get under his skin alone 😌
Your work has opened my eyes to so much about how both women and men are conditioned/cultured in this patriarchal society. It has helped me to stop blaming myself for things that are clearly out of my control. I happily pay for your content because it is valuable. I also like your posts about using a journal, so thanks for those too.
I wish I could say I was surprised by the business owner asking you to make all your content free. In my experience, the ppl I know that are "business owners" and/or generally financially well off (and either always have been well off or have been for a long time) are the ones who will seek out someone else's password to use Netflix and refuse to pay anything for it (even when that someone else is barely getting by). They could fully afford something while someone else struggles to pay for it and still expect that someone else pay the cost. And every time I've been asked to practically give something away (as I recently moved and sold a bunch of our furniture and stuff) it's always been so-called "business owners" (and don't even get me started on the Ayn Rand spewing real estate broker) with this ironic expectation. "I'm out here to make money but I don't see that anyone else is" or something? What is this thinking? Is this how ppl become successful in this country? I'm struggling to get by a bit, probably could have requested a freebie, but I was very happy to pay $6 for all the content. It's that important. Even if I didn't get extra paid content I would have still been more than happy to pay something to support this work and contribute so that it can continue.
I gladly pay for your subscription - and those who use tepid, withering arguments about "I'm a business woman too..but why don't you do more stuff for free," are utterly contradicting themselves and are usually a product of patriarchal privilege and power by proxy. Some of the most BS asks I've gotten to work for free were from childless women "business owners" who had the freaking privilege of working for free and therefore thought I could too. I have stories, oh I have stories, but I won't go into them. The point is - I am GLAD to pay for your subscription. You are doing salt of the earth work here - freeing women from the patriarchy.
Keep burning up the proverbial page as you write Zawn, I am listening, reading, AND gladly paying for it.
I admit my first thought when I saw I had to pay was “dang, not doing that” but it’s because I’m cheaper and pretty strapped for cash. But then I read about two more of your articles and thought about how much you’d already impacted me and how much I’d already learned for you, and decided I needed to figure out the budget to make it work, because your wisdom is worth more than gold. Thank you for your efforts.
Absolutely! Gladly cancelled Spotify and Netflix and all the other subscription to be able to read Zawn's work. Rather not buy Christmas presents for extended family. Subscription to liberating motherhood is literally part of my core household bills. The community of women to learn from and get support is so valuable, I've made a real life friend from the group and it fills my heart with so much joy to be able to also provide and support other women going through things in this life. 6 dollars a month is nothing! I pay the yearly fee so its done and dusted and that's an absolute bargain for what I gain.
this!!! It seems society is very much about "free stuff" even if it is - no, ESPECIALLY if it is life changing seems to be a tricky one. Aka "youre doing life saving work so why should we pay for it" - BECAUSE of the value of it and because of the mere fact that she couldn't keep doing this work without income..
I follow as many feminist authors/ pages as I can, and you are by far the best of them all. Your voice is unique and your arguments are so well articulated. Please don't ever change.
Can even fathom people asking you silly questions about why you charge. Its either these people are over previledge or they've internalised the savior/sacrificial lamb mentality of society.
As a single (double!) parent, I can’t afford a lot, and I ummed and ahhed about subscribing because my money is scarce. But I am so glad I did because it’s been SO worth it. I don’t even think your fee is excessive, it’s really reasonable for what I get access to. Also, I just want to say how GREAT it is that you don’t moderate your work to make it more inclusive of men. I can’t think of a better way to quickly work out exactly what a man is like, than by showing him your work and asking for his opinion. Not that I’m the slightest bit interested in dating after the way men who have purported to love me have behaved, but it’s a handy tool for anyone else who reads this!
I am a huge fan and the world needs more writing of this type!!! Should you do it for free? No. First of all, your time and effort are valuable. Charge for it. Second, you put out a great product and could certainly sell books were you to write them. Third, I know from my practice of reproductive psychiatry that if you give away your services or talents for free, people do respect them. I have seen people as patients for free and they would often skip appointments, etc. When I charge a small percentage of my fee to help out someone who needs my services but is financially struggling, they arrive on time, pay on time and get the care they need.
Zawn, your work is unique and extremely valuable to women. I fully support your stance and agree with someone above who suggested that you could offer a higher rate for those of us who can and would pay more!
For some reason it wont let me vote but YES I love reading your pieces about life as a writer - as a fellow writer myself! And to hear your insights as a feminist ("controversial") writer.
I adore your work and I even though on a very low income made it a priority to budget and pay for your subscription BECAUSE I want to 1. support a fellow woman. 2. to support a fellow writer to keep supporting others through your incredible work and knowledge and framing of information.
3. Please do not stand down - people will ALWAYS have complaints! EVEN if all your work was free - youd still get complaints from people -_-.
Do not change who you are or what you do - unless YOU *want* to Zawn. I am sure you do know this already - but please continue to knowing you worth! We know women in the creative world are so undervalued (even moreso than the 'professional' world in many cases). And your scholarship system is invaluable for those that need it!
Wow! I have a lot to say about this, but I will not bore you will my banter about the ludicrously of this all. However, I will say I gladly subscribe to your substack because first your psychological content along with psychoanalysis is actually priceless. $6 is a small fee for this mental along with physical labor in addition to constantly and continuously dealing with dissenters. And on the second ‘fake’ gripe especially coming from women, it’s just rubbish. Please keep doing what you do. My girlies and I over here truly appreciate you and what you do!
I am happy to pay for your work! You write passionately, intelligently, and introspectively about serious topics that change people’s lives. Charge what you need to, to make that you always can! Hell, do you have a donation link so that those who have the means can further support your reader scholarships?
Just reading the complaints.... I let the expletives fly!! Are these people for real? Ugh. I love Zawn precisely because I appreciate the hard work this actually is, I subscribed because it was a no brainer and I also thought it's a steal considering how much work and value these articles objectively are. As for the tone? That's exactly why I love this subscription so much!! Truth. Compassionate truth.
To your reader “woman business owner” who wants you to work for free: I’m a DV survivor who is being impoverished by my ex, on public assistance and bordering bankruptcy from the legal fees. This work has literally allowed me to survive and at times feel like living is better than suicide. If we had to pay for air, we would pay. I fully support you and your method. It is exceedingly fair and responsible. And I pay because it is medicine. Sorry, you can’t please everyone. Her comments are more about her than about you, IMHO.
Thank you for what you do.
Much love to you, Emily. Big virtual hug.
Yes! I'm 2.5yrs free of my DV relationship yet still under the financial abuse thumb. I used to read and share Zawns articles whilst still in the relationship.
Signing up and paying the sub fee once I had control of my own money again felt powerful. I actually hope he sees it in my financial disclosures and Google's what I'm paying for. I'd happily pay $6 a month just to get under his skin alone 😌
Your work has opened my eyes to so much about how both women and men are conditioned/cultured in this patriarchal society. It has helped me to stop blaming myself for things that are clearly out of my control. I happily pay for your content because it is valuable. I also like your posts about using a journal, so thanks for those too.
the option YES OMG YES YES YES is missing in the survey :) so please take my choosing "yes" as HELL YES
I wish I could say I was surprised by the business owner asking you to make all your content free. In my experience, the ppl I know that are "business owners" and/or generally financially well off (and either always have been well off or have been for a long time) are the ones who will seek out someone else's password to use Netflix and refuse to pay anything for it (even when that someone else is barely getting by). They could fully afford something while someone else struggles to pay for it and still expect that someone else pay the cost. And every time I've been asked to practically give something away (as I recently moved and sold a bunch of our furniture and stuff) it's always been so-called "business owners" (and don't even get me started on the Ayn Rand spewing real estate broker) with this ironic expectation. "I'm out here to make money but I don't see that anyone else is" or something? What is this thinking? Is this how ppl become successful in this country? I'm struggling to get by a bit, probably could have requested a freebie, but I was very happy to pay $6 for all the content. It's that important. Even if I didn't get extra paid content I would have still been more than happy to pay something to support this work and contribute so that it can continue.
I gladly pay for your subscription - and those who use tepid, withering arguments about "I'm a business woman too..but why don't you do more stuff for free," are utterly contradicting themselves and are usually a product of patriarchal privilege and power by proxy. Some of the most BS asks I've gotten to work for free were from childless women "business owners" who had the freaking privilege of working for free and therefore thought I could too. I have stories, oh I have stories, but I won't go into them. The point is - I am GLAD to pay for your subscription. You are doing salt of the earth work here - freeing women from the patriarchy.
Keep burning up the proverbial page as you write Zawn, I am listening, reading, AND gladly paying for it.
I admit my first thought when I saw I had to pay was “dang, not doing that” but it’s because I’m cheaper and pretty strapped for cash. But then I read about two more of your articles and thought about how much you’d already impacted me and how much I’d already learned for you, and decided I needed to figure out the budget to make it work, because your wisdom is worth more than gold. Thank you for your efforts.
Absolutely! Gladly cancelled Spotify and Netflix and all the other subscription to be able to read Zawn's work. Rather not buy Christmas presents for extended family. Subscription to liberating motherhood is literally part of my core household bills. The community of women to learn from and get support is so valuable, I've made a real life friend from the group and it fills my heart with so much joy to be able to also provide and support other women going through things in this life. 6 dollars a month is nothing! I pay the yearly fee so its done and dusted and that's an absolute bargain for what I gain.
this!!! It seems society is very much about "free stuff" even if it is - no, ESPECIALLY if it is life changing seems to be a tricky one. Aka "youre doing life saving work so why should we pay for it" - BECAUSE of the value of it and because of the mere fact that she couldn't keep doing this work without income..
I follow as many feminist authors/ pages as I can, and you are by far the best of them all. Your voice is unique and your arguments are so well articulated. Please don't ever change.
Can even fathom people asking you silly questions about why you charge. Its either these people are over previledge or they've internalised the savior/sacrificial lamb mentality of society.
I’d pay more, to be honest. Maybe you need a higher rate option as well as your current affordable rate?
I think theres an option to contribute more to go towards others scholarships?
I think my membership here was the first thing I ever bought that was just for me. Zero regrets.
As a single (double!) parent, I can’t afford a lot, and I ummed and ahhed about subscribing because my money is scarce. But I am so glad I did because it’s been SO worth it. I don’t even think your fee is excessive, it’s really reasonable for what I get access to. Also, I just want to say how GREAT it is that you don’t moderate your work to make it more inclusive of men. I can’t think of a better way to quickly work out exactly what a man is like, than by showing him your work and asking for his opinion. Not that I’m the slightest bit interested in dating after the way men who have purported to love me have behaved, but it’s a handy tool for anyone else who reads this!
I am a huge fan and the world needs more writing of this type!!! Should you do it for free? No. First of all, your time and effort are valuable. Charge for it. Second, you put out a great product and could certainly sell books were you to write them. Third, I know from my practice of reproductive psychiatry that if you give away your services or talents for free, people do respect them. I have seen people as patients for free and they would often skip appointments, etc. When I charge a small percentage of my fee to help out someone who needs my services but is financially struggling, they arrive on time, pay on time and get the care they need.
Zawn, your work is unique and extremely valuable to women. I fully support your stance and agree with someone above who suggested that you could offer a higher rate for those of us who can and would pay more!
You go girl!!!!
For some reason it wont let me vote but YES I love reading your pieces about life as a writer - as a fellow writer myself! And to hear your insights as a feminist ("controversial") writer.
I adore your work and I even though on a very low income made it a priority to budget and pay for your subscription BECAUSE I want to 1. support a fellow woman. 2. to support a fellow writer to keep supporting others through your incredible work and knowledge and framing of information.
3. Please do not stand down - people will ALWAYS have complaints! EVEN if all your work was free - youd still get complaints from people -_-.
Do not change who you are or what you do - unless YOU *want* to Zawn. I am sure you do know this already - but please continue to knowing you worth! We know women in the creative world are so undervalued (even moreso than the 'professional' world in many cases). And your scholarship system is invaluable for those that need it!
Awww...thank you. I've benefited so much from your insights in the group, too <3