Queer people STILL deserve to be paid for their work

Look at us being all vulnerable, again.

Would you mind tapping that ❤️ icon? It helps this post reach more people and puts a smile on our faces every time we see those notifications roll in.

Hi there, we want to reshare one of our most popular letters, as the message and meaning behind it are as relevant as ever.

We’ve been working hard on putting together issue 21 of the magazine, and have been a little lighter with our newsletter posts, which in many ways reinforces the message of this letter— we need all the help we can get. So, take a moment, have a read, and if you can, show some support, but either way, have a wonderful rest of your day.

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Starting this week's edition of Gayletter has been a daunting task; the subject is deeply important, yet awkward to bring up.

IT SHOULDN’T BE.

Stepping outside of our comfort zones is important, so I’m reaching out on this sunny Friday afternoon with a personal plea—I'm inviting you, our dear & dedicated free subscribers and regular readers, to consider upgrading to a paid subscription.

I have always believed that people should be paid for the work they do. Yet when it comes to writing, the unlimited supply of words on the Internet has made many people believe that we should get it all for free.

Recently, I strongly pushed a freelance colleague to stick to her guns and maintain her usual fee after her regular gig attempted to reduce her rate. Supporting and empowering others is something I can do wholeheartedly, yet I feel reluctant, almost icky, to do it for myself. Why is that?

Truthfully, we produce a newsletter each week with careful attention and many drafts, which I believe merits your support. So here I am, hat in hand asking for some help.

This newsletter is more than just a newsletter; it's a growing community. Last week, I wrote about my brother in a deeply personal way, and was so touched by those that reached out sharing their own stories of loss.

For those unfamiliar with our background, we have been growing GAYLETTER for over 10 years. It has been a passion project that we have loved building. If you have gotten anything at all from our stories and posts, then a paid subscription is a meaningfully way to show it.

I'm grateful to this newsletter and to you—our readers—whose engagement with our work is crucial. I encourage you to upgrade your subscription, not just for the perks, but to support queer writing, queer artists, queer perspectives that are harder and harder to find these days.

For those considering a paid subscription, we’re offering 25% off full year memberships for a limited time.

If upgrading is not in your budget, your readership, shares, and comments are still profoundly appreciated.

Thank you for being part of this community, and we hope to see you in the next newsletter.

Best,

Tom (& Abi)