Love your story Mariah. And your reference at the end to Adrienne Rich’s ‘Compulsory Heterosexuality’ a key text in my coming out. Only wish I’d read it sooner. 💚🤍💜
Thanks, Viviane. And yes - that essay was mind-blowing to me. Thank goodness Adrienne Rich was smart enough and brave enough to explain the world to those of us who really needed to make sense of things.
Hi Ellen, thanks so much. The term short story is usually used for fiction. I only write nonfiction. This could be called an essay. Or creative nonfiction, and that it uses some techniques, such as dialogue, most associated with fiction. I use the term column for Stronger Women because these are weekly - not just freestanding essays but a series. Also, I use column to differentiate my work from “newsletter“ or “post” which is how most Substack articles are referred to. Nothing wrong with those but they don’t fit for me. Story is also a very nice word. And this is a very long answer! 😀
Love your story Mariah. And your reference at the end to Adrienne Rich’s ‘Compulsory Heterosexuality’ a key text in my coming out. Only wish I’d read it sooner. 💚🤍💜
Thanks, Viviane. And yes - that essay was mind-blowing to me. Thank goodness Adrienne Rich was smart enough and brave enough to explain the world to those of us who really needed to make sense of things.
I'm a straight woman who never even had a high school crush. But I loved this story—so heart-warming, well-written, and authentic.
Hi Judy, thank you. I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and appreciate your letting me know.
Page-turner of an essay, Mariah. When is a column really a short story, by the way?
Hi Ellen, thanks so much. The term short story is usually used for fiction. I only write nonfiction. This could be called an essay. Or creative nonfiction, and that it uses some techniques, such as dialogue, most associated with fiction. I use the term column for Stronger Women because these are weekly - not just freestanding essays but a series. Also, I use column to differentiate my work from “newsletter“ or “post” which is how most Substack articles are referred to. Nothing wrong with those but they don’t fit for me. Story is also a very nice word. And this is a very long answer! 😀