Blog Note

This is typically when I do my bi-monthly reminder*, for those who have requested it, to donate to Shakesville.

This month takes on a particular urgency, as my main computer died yesterday. Like, a complete meltdown, good-thing-I-backed-up-recently-because-everything's-fucking-gone implosion. I'm currently eking by on my dodgy laptop, which, until yesterday, was on our list to replace, once we'd recovered from replacing our stove, fridge, and water heater in the span of a month, right before our car started acting up. (No really—is this year fucking over yet?)

Obviously, Shakesville depends on my having a reliable computer, so if you can swing a donation, if you've been meaning to donate but just haven't gotten around to it, now's the time.

Asking for donations** is difficult for me, partly because I've got an innate aversion to asking for anything, and partly because these threads are frequently critical and stressful. But it's also one of the most feminist acts I do here. It's also the only way I am able to manage this community as a safe space, which requires my full-time commitment in addition to our volunteer moderators.

You can donate once by clicking the button in the righthand sidebar, or set up a monthly subscription here.

Let me reiterate, once again, that I don't want anyone to feel obliged to contribute financially, especially if money is tight. Aside from valuing feminist work, the other goal of fundraising is so Iain and I don't have to struggle on behalf of the blog, and I don't want anyone else to struggle themselves in exchange. There is a big enough readership that neither should have to happen.

I also want say thank you, so very much, to each of you who donates or has donated, whether monthly or as a one-off. I am profoundly grateful—and I don't take a single cent for granted. I've not the words to express the depth of my appreciation, besides these: This community couldn't exist without that support, truly. Thank you.

My thanks as well to everyone who contributes to the space in other ways, whether as a regular contributor, a guest contributor, a moderator, a transcriber, or as someone who takes the time to send me the occasional note of support and encouragement. This community couldn't exist without you, either.

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* I know there are people who resent these reminders, but there are also people who appreciate them, so I've now taken to doing them every other month, in the hopes that will make a good compromise.

** Why I ask for donations is explained here.