My Substack Subscriptions
Over the last few years, I’ve gotten slightly more… offline. I’m still very online in the grand scheme of things, but a combination of the knock-on effects of the pandemic, Twitter becoming X, and my own decreasing disposable time has led to much less time spent scrolling on social media.
These days, I learn about brouhahas and trends by reading about the backlash that follows. (And, like many other fellow millennials, I watch all my TikToks via Instagram a few months after they first went viral.) There was an article over the summer bemoaning what Substack has become; the author felt that the content therein is a mile wide and an inch deep, with too many writers and not enough good writing. I still haven’t read the piece - I only read some responses to the piece - so can’t comment on whether or not it’s true, but we’ve always had to sort through a seemingly unlimited number of links online to find what speaks to us.
At the moment, here’s what’s speaking to me on Substack. $5/month for each is a steal for what the writers bring into my life: new perspectives, familiar challenges, fresh ways to approach and interact with the world around me. I love what each of these women bring to their spaces, from the profoundly personal to the thoroughly researched; often, for Virginia, Sarah, and Melinda, the deep anthropological dives are inspired by their own struggles. I highly recommend all of them!
Big Feelings - Sarah Jacobson (@_thegrandapt on Instagram)
”think of this newsletter as my home away from IG home. a place for me to share my writing, along with my favorite books/shows/places/purchases.”
Burnt Toast - Virginia Solesmith (@v_solesmith on Instagram)
“Burnt Toast is an anti-diet, fat positive community about body liberation. It’s also a newsletter and a podcast about how we navigate diet culture and anti-fat bias, especially through parenting. (But non-parents like it too!)”
Hitha - Hitha Palepu (@hithapalepu on Instagram)
“My weekly letter offers a peek in my life and my DMs/texts - what I’ve been up to, the best things I’ve read, the advice I’ve shared, and random smart things I’ve discovered.”
In Pursuit of Clean Countertops - Sarah Petersen (@slouisepetersen on Instagram)
“Welcome (!) to my cozy corner of the internet, where I unpack my obsession with momfluencer culture and trad wives to reveal what's behind all the neutral walls, linen rompers, beachy waves, and perfect mamas. This is your your safe space to join me as I try to unravel all the tangled up knots of shopping for, performing, and consuming the institution of Motherhood (with a capital M) online.”
Is My Kid The Asshole? - Melinda W. Moyer (@melindawmoyer on Instagram)
“There are many reasons parents today are exhausted and burned out, but I think the explosion of unrealistic, fear-mongering parenting advice is a key driver. It’s wrong, and it’s dangerous.
Is My Kid the Asshole? is my counter-narrative. My goal is to empower parents, rather than scare them. As an investigative science journalist and former Slate parenting columnist, I dig into the science behind popular parenting advice and customs. I rebut ridiculous claims and dig into the science behind trendy parenting approaches. I answer specific parenting questions with rigorous reporting, and I share deeply reported essays on big parenting topics. I also host weekly discussion threads where we discuss various parenting issues together. I’m thrilled that in the nearly three years since I launched this newsletter, we’ve built a warm and supportive parent community.”
