(Re)Introducing Without Apology and Learning and Unlearning
Or, in an effort to spend less time on social media, I am writing two newsletters now!
A few things happened recently(ish!) that left me wanting to write this newsletter again. However, it has been so long since you’ve heard from me that I figured a reintroduction was in order because if your inboxes are anything like mine, you’ll be wondering, ‘When the hell did I sign up for yer wan’s newsletter?!’
Substack informed me that it is eight months since I wrote the last edition of Without Apology about the harmful impact of abortion bans in the US on people prescribed methotrexate to treat their autoimmune conditions. The platform I used to send my second, even less frequent, Learning and Unlearning newsletter increased its pricing, so I’m also moving it over to Substack.
You’ll find the details of adjusting your subscription settings in the TL;DR section. But first, I want to give you a taster of the upcoming Without Apology and Learning and Unlearning editions.
Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney’s recent comments about abortion concerning the publication of the independent review of our abortion services means the next two Without Apology columns are headlined, ‘Abortions are not rare, nor should they be’ and ‘Fuck your three-day waiting period’.
Upcoming essays for Learning and Unlearning are titled ‘On Grief and Succession’, ‘On Separating the Art from the Artist’, and ‘On Queer Flagging, Queer Coding, and Queerbaiting’.
Thanks for sticking with me, Without Apology, and Learning and Unlearning if you decide to. I am looking forward to writing about the global fight for reproductive justice, feminism, activism, and LGBTQ+ experiences in a place that is much less chaotic than social media.
Without Apology is a newsletter about abortion rights, reproductive rights and reproductive freedom. Each week, a new edition will land in your inbox featuring a column, actions you can take whenever you ask, 'But What Can I Do?', and a round-up of the latest news from the global fight for reproductive rights.
Why Without Apology?
I believe that abortions should be available on-demand and without apology for everyone who needs them when they need them. I haven’t always thought this. I haven’t always been pro-choice.
As my views changed, I continued to resist the phrase ‘abortion on demand and without apology’. Through my organising with Kerry for Choice, the Abortion Rights Campaign and the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, I realised that for abortions to be genuinely free, safe, legal, and local for everyone, they must be available on-demand, without apology, shame or stigma.
Learning and Unlearning is a fortnightly newsletter about feminism, activism, LGBTQ+ experiences, and figuring out how to live an intentional life. Twice a month a new essay will land in your inbox.
Why Learning and Unlearning?
I came late to many things; the realisation I am bisexual, being pro-choice and feminism in general.
With each edition of Learning and Unlearning, I want to explore the expectation that we must know everything and be perfect feminists and activists. Spoiler alert: there is no such thing as a perfect feminist or activist. We are always learning and unlearning. Let’s do it together!
What’s the TL;DR?
Without Apology is now the home of two newsletters.
Without Apology offers weekly commentary on abortion rights, reproductive rights and reproductive freedom.
Learning and Unlearning offers twice-monthly essays on feminism, activism, LGBTQ+ experiences, and figuring out how to live an intentional life.
To control which emails you receive, please go to your account page where you can choose the notifications you want.
To receive both newsletters, you do not need to adjust your settings.
To receive ONLY the weekly Without Apology columns, please uncheck every box except “Without Apology from Paula Dennan”.
To receive ONLY the fortnightly Learning and Unlearning essays, please uncheck every box except “Learning and Unlearning”.
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