From the newsletters: Other feminisms

27 September 2022

Over the past few years we’ve seen the rise and rise of the email newsletter. Personally I’d prefer that more of these were blogs that had RSS feeds but I understand the economics. They’ve become a way of talented people earning some income through people paying for a subscription for their work. I have a mix of free & paid newsletters that I subscribe to that provides me with a steady flow of thought provoking comment, expertise, wisdom & insights into a whole host of topics.

I regularly subscribe and unsubscribe. If I find myself not really reading a particular newsletter on a regular basis I’ll unsubscribe, if I find there are things worth saving or I want to come back I’ll keep it going. I’m always interesting in hearing about well-written newsletters that offer value to the reader, so if you have any suggestions let me know.

So I thought I’d take the time to introduce them, why I subscribe, what value there is and who knows maybe you’ll find something there for you too.

Leah Libresco Sargeant‘s Other Feminisms is one of the most consistently interesting and thought provoking newsletters that I subscribe to for a few reasons. One I love the questions that Leah asks and the angles from which she asks them. They almost always make me see the world slightly differently, opening up a perspective I hadn’t previously considered. Secondly, I always appreciate the tone and quality of the conversation she has with her readers. She can pull interesting insights from people who disagree with her or lift up observations from other readers that shed light on her own views and so the conversation always feels both genuine and productive. Those spaces and places need protecting! Thirdly she draws from sources that are less familiar to me but I find incredibly helpful – new horizons!

Take a look at some of the topics she covers – here are a few of my recent favourites:

So sometimes the questions are inevitably framed in Leah’s own American context and so some contextualisation needs to happen but even so these questions are incredibly important in any Western context. Here’s a taster from the last one in that list:

The idea at the heart of Other Feminisms is: The world is the wrong shape for women. Women are asked to find ways to alter ourselves, rather than be accommodated as we are. In a world that treats us as malformed men, we try to find ways to fit better into a male mold.

I often get the spear counterpart question—where is the world the wrong shape for men? Are there places where norms that suit women prevail and men are left to contort themselves to fit?

My first answer is always schools.

And she’s not wrong. The newsletters are short but interesting. The comments mostly on point and thoughtful. Highly recommended all the way.