Seeking clarification of submission policies for marginalized authors.

In a continuing effort to understand the submission policies in regard to marginalized writers I have sent letters to a few literary magazines. Here’s one I sent to The Ex-Puritan, whose editor was gracious enough to respond.

MY QUERY:
Can you please explain specifically what this statement on The Ex-Puritan submission page means?

“We are especially interested in work by LGBTQ2S+ writers, BIPOC writers, and writing from other marginalized folks.”

This issue has been discussed in a number of writer forums I’m involved in and the interpretation widely varies. For example:

are you just encouraging writers who identify with marginalized groups to simply submit their work or, are you suggesting their work will receive special consideration? If the latter, what might they be?how do you identify and verify the racial or sexual identity of an author?

Thanks in advance for your response. It will help clear up misunderstandings.

RESPONSE:
Dear Rod,

No one is getting any special treatment based on their positionality. Works are chosen based on their quality and on the discretion of the individual editors. However, due to the inequities still present in publishing, we, along with many other magazines, encourage folks from multiple marginalized backgrounds to send in their work to the magazine.

Re your second question, we do not identity (sic) or verify anyone’s background. Authors self-identify if they so choose to. Again, no published work is contingent on the writer’s background, but on the quality of their work.

If you are interested to submit to the magazine, please familiarize yourself with the last few issues to get a feel of the kind of work we publish.

Best,
Sanchari Sur (she/they)
Editor-In-Chief
The Ex-Puritan
http://www.ex-puritan.ca

Though I find this reassuring, I don’t understand it.

Consider:
“Works are chosen based on their quality and on the discretion of the individual editors… we do not identity (sic) or verify anyone’s background. Authors self-identify if they so choose to. Again, no published work is contingent on the writer’s background, but on the quality of their work.”

If this is the case, why state that they are “especially interested in work by LGBTQ2S+ writers, BIPOC writers, and writing from other marginalized folks.”
According to what the editor says it makes no difference whatsoever if the author self-identifies as being from a marginalized group since “no published work is contingent on the writer’s background, but on the quality of their work.”

Is including the statement encouraging marginalized writers to submit their work something necessary to get those government grants and appease funding organizations? Or, is it just gratuitous?

In light of this response, I wondering why a more inclusive statement like this one that appears on the Ampersand Review submission page can’t be used?

“We welcome literary works in any genre or form, and from new or established writers of all backgrounds and identities.”

More questions. No clarity.

The initial post on the Next Door app received at least 1.9K views within 48 hours. I mention this because I was wondering if this issue was of concern to anyone other than myself and a few other authors. I take this obvious validation as interest only – and not necessarily support for my point of view.

And not all of you did. Here’s a comment from Joseph Campbell.

“Diversity support in authors leads to more diversity in editors and publishers, and that leads to windows into cultures we have no personal connection to and that leads to further understanding and connection to other humans.”

If that is the case, then what The Ex-Puritan is offering isn’t helping and leads me to ask is there a better way to achieve what Joseph is suggesting rather than misleading marginalized writers into thinking they’re getting special consideration, while discriminating against other authors?

For context on this issue, please visit Re: Stop discriminatory submission policies at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013287676486

This is by no means the final word on this issue. The discussion is ongoing and evolving and your comments are welcomed, will be considered and may alter this position.

Let’s talk.