This part - "How can Substack claim to champion independent creators while simultaneously barring entire regions from economic participation? How can we build a world where creativity and thought are valued equally, if we continue to exclude voices based on where they come from?" 👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you SO much for writing and sharing. I didn't even know this was happening. Truly unacceptable.
Thank you so much Gigi for noting something worthwhile that you got from engaging with my work. I am grateful that you took the time to comment and assert my sentiments. 🙏🏾
Hoping that if Substack doesn't do anything about it, people will at least know what's happening.
Thank you for sharing this! I hope that if enough of us say something, we’ll see a change. I also wanted to note that (very frustratingly), Stripe Connect pays out on buymeacoffee to African creators and I have received no answers as to why that can’t be an alternative for Substack. Thank god Patreon uses PayPal. It’s just ludicrous to exclude entire continents, not just Africa, from the entire USP of your platform.
Ummm what the heck! They need to fix this immediately! The work you are doing deserves to be rewarded just like everyone else. I’m very disappointed in this.
Ugh I hate how so many of these platform indeed are cantered in the west and push western voices. I suppose the same goes to Instagram, where loads of African creators often have to move countries to monetise their services. It’s such a shame. These platforms are not global..they can be globally accessed but they are just as segregated as society at large. I really hope they fix this. Because this is kind of ruining this place for me now. Knowing I benefit from an unjust system just by living “in the right region” of the world makes me sick. 💔
Matunda, I deeply resonate with your frustration. It’s so easy to use these platforms without ever considering how they exclude others, and the fact that you’re thinking critically about this shows a great sense of awareness.
But I want to say, it’s not about feeling guilty for where you happen to be in the world—after all, we don’t choose our circumstances. What can be powerful, though, is how we use that awareness: By continuing to engage in these conversations, by amplifying underrepresented voices, and by pushing for change, you’re already challenging the system from within. The more we make noise, the more we force these platforms to reckon with their role in perpetuating inequality.
You being here, supporting this dialogue, is certainly part of the solution. Let’s keep pushing for the world we want 🙏🏾
Yes, I know love. It’s the injustice that’s overwhelming. But you are so right. We can all challenge the system the small ways we do everyday. It’s so important to hear this issue for your prospective. Though I know that black and brown creators are excluded from the influencer business here in Europe, this something different entirely, though still in the same package of supremacy. Thanks for facilitating for this dialogue.
How about you turn that “hate” into something useful, so we're not at the mercy of anyone. We need a similar platform created by Africans for African writers/creators
I'm here to join you and the chorus of voices asking Substack to add other payment options to its list for the reasons you outlined. I also wrote about this problem as part of my GiveBackStack origin story article in August (https://rainmakerschangemakers.substack.com/p/substack-activisim-a-givebackstack). Over the summer, @Ubuntu International's Antoinette @Rootsdawtah and I encouraged all of the community development, permaculture, art, and educator activists we collaborate with in Africa to join Substack only to find they couldn't monetize their publications. They are here writing (many of them I wrote about on the RainMakers & ChangeMakers Substack). But even writing here is difficult when you need a laptop to use the Writer Dashboard (effectively) and enough data and wifi to do so. My short-term solution was to monetize both of my Substacks for the benefit of the people I'm trying to go to bat for. It's not easy going. My readership isn't the right target audience, but I'm giving it a go.
Thank you so much Emily for personally doing such great advocacy around this sytstematic issue. I have read the linked post and shared it. Thank you for sharing and sharing your own experiences.
Awesome! The question remains whether Substack is listening and doing anything. I have zero influence so hoping together with the numbers you've got for your post something will change!
It is just sad that this has been, is, and will be relevant for at least the next couple of years (hopefully not!). Thank you Katz for speaking urgency into this matter.
It made me think of that time when I looked into making a wire transfer from a Malagasy account to a French account and found out they haven't come up with a tool/platform for that yet. Which goes back to a similar message: France (read Europe) does the deals with Madagascar (read Africa), not the other way around.
Thank you so much Priscilla for this comment and showing how much broader this is.
It really is frustrating to see this dynamic play out everywhere, even in something as basic as a wire transfer. It’s always on their terms—Europe set the rules, and Africa is left adapting. It’s a stark reminder of how unequal the system is, not just online but in every way. So whether it’s content creation or financial transactions, we’re still operating in a world where we are secondary.
Thank you my darling for reading and further emphasising how far and wide it goes. I've seen a few users from second and third world countries lamenting over this when I was researching it.
It is so unfair. I hope something gives, it's been way too long. And I'm so sorry you're experiencing this too 🤎
Actually it's not just Africa and India...so many other countries are not included...just checked.
We would definitely need to raise a petition and create a movement together.
Also it'd be really cool if people from these countries understand these problems and create a platform that works for everyone. It exists countrywise now but not worldwide. Lemonsqueezy was one such payment gateway that I really liked. They have provisions of payment for all countries
Thanks for writing this and bringing it to the attention of other writers! Have you received any response from Substack? In addition to restacking your essay, I’d love to join your efforts to lobby for change. It seems absurd that Substack doesn’t partner with a different payment platform where needed!
I've gone down the same rabbit holes. Great that you're sharing this. The answers we get feels very much like, " jump through a million hoops you may find a way or not" "sorry to bad." It's not just Substack though. As writers we contribute to the fabric of everything. Certain demographics and cultures should not be excluded but looked too highly for the valuable contribution to a global, diverse world. Without those voices there is a huge void.
Thank you so much Lezel. And you’re absolutely correct in that analysis. The answers fall flat, if they even ever come.
So every single creator deserves to have their contributions valued and affirmed in a way that’s meaningful for them so that they can continue showing up.
In relation to this I am thinking about language use of the internet. How the internet represents a dichotomy of colonialistic tendencies that pervades society
Roberto, you’ve touched on a deeply significant layer here. The language of the internet does often mirror colonial patterns, with English dominating as the global ‘default.’ This can subtly reinforce a hierarchy where certain voices and cultures are privileged, while others are sidelined—not just in terms of economic participation, but in how ideas are even allowed to circulate.
So, it’s not just about who can profit, but who can be understood and whose experiences get to shape the narrative.
Wow, thank you for bringing in this perspective too.
Soo sad! I can't believe that we have been blatantly ignored because you guys have raised it many years ago with its inception.
And a big thank you to you too David for writing on this and setting such an important foundation for me to explore this further. I appreciate you taking the time with my essay 🌻
This is obviously unjust and I have restacked this post! Definitely keep writing either way. In the future you could easily create an e-book as a compilation of some of your essays and offer to sell it to your subscribers with bonuses etc. There are many ways … Whatever happens, you must keep writing as you add so much value here.
Thank you for writing this Katz! I did not know that African writers were penalised in this way, but I’m sadly not surprised. The colonial order replicates itself through modern tech. :( I’m writing from Aotearoa/New Zealand and of course occupy western privilege in that Stripe is available here. I sincerely hope that Substack steps up and facilitates the possibility of paid platforms in Africa soon. This is an excellent essay that I’ll be sharing around. Thank you for your work. ♥️
Thank you so much Laura for taking the time to read and engage with this essay. And what you have said about tech replicating colonial order is soo accurate and well said, it is sadly inevitable that these platforms we use do not exist in a vacuum and will inevitably become microcosms of the systems and structures we find in society.
The silence we have been met with is quite disheartening and I think most of us feel like this may be a losing battle.
Thank you for your support and getting it out there 🤎🤗
Happy New Year, Katz. I’ve arrived a bit late in the conversation, as you can see. But I’ve been thinking about my response for a while, and thought that New Year’s Day couldn’t be a better day to put it forward.
So, I’m now looking at the page for Stripe’s list of countries that they’re currently operating in. The list is placed under the title of “Global availability”, which is a major hypocrisy in and of itself because, instead, the title should be “Global Unavailability”. The countries in which Stripe is fully operational don’t even cover half the world’s population. That is how much they are literally denying humanity.
Here in Southeast Asia, Thailand (where I live), Malaysia and Singapore are the only three countries where Stripe is fully operational. Indonesia is in ‘preview’ (what exactly does that mean?). And when are we going to see any sign of introduction to Stripe in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and East Timor?
India is also in ‘preview’. If only Stripe was fully operational in India, there would be at least three creators residing in different places all over India to whom I would very happily pay annual subscriptions on Substack. (If you’re reading this, you know who you are.)
In Africa, there are ‘extended networks’ in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. This basically means that apart from the very limited Stripe support services in these four African countries, the entire continent of Africa — and, by extension, the creators representing the African cultural landscape, creative lifestyles, history, heritage, intellectual value and environmental resources — suffer from being ignored and effectively discriminated against — as has been done over the past hundreds of years, except that now we’re seeing it in the form of digital technology and international transactions.
I’m also looking at Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. It appears the only two countries where Stripe is fully operational are Mexico and Brazil.
And in the Middle East and West Asia, Stripe is only fully operational in the United Arab Emirates.
But this is where the elite management level of Substack is falling far, far short, and that’s me trying desperately hard to put it diplomatically. See, I do support Substack creators residing in Africa and India. I support them through alternative payment links, with Buy Me Coffee being the prime example. (I also support a Substack creator in Africa who uses a payment link via Patreon, which has always worked smoothly; and I know I get excellent value from his product, if that’s the marketing terminology one wants to use.)
Question: why can’t Substack incorporate (interlink?) the technical aspects of these alternative payment gateways, especially to set up and accommodate paid subscriptions for creators residing in Africa, India, and many other (non-western) countries, so that there is creative equality in terms of monetisation? It can’t be that hard. This is the year 2025, folks.
Substack is structurally white. I can think of no other way to say it. It angers me that creators residing in non-western regions cannot have monetisation equality. It also deeply saddens me that some of the very finest creators of colour have already left Substack to continue exhibiting their work on other platforms where they can monetise. I have followed them to these other platforms; the fact is that loyal supporters will follow amazing creators anywhere they decide to set up shop.
I will stay on Substack because we have to fight this together. And I will dedicate myself to supporting ‘our lot’ in whatever way I can.
I have yet to officially post anything on Substack. (I’m planning my posts a year in advance.) So far, I’ve only been posting on Notes. When it comes to official posting, I don’t yet consider myself to be a participant. But I have carefully designed my Substack feed so that I’m getting at least 80% of the feed content from creators of colour. That means that I have gone to the greatest lengths to mute and block white privilege, or at least what I consider to be white privilege. I don’t care how that sounds to neocolonialists. But I have to do my part to fight this white-washed system.
Substack has yet to prove itself to be part of the solution. By the way things are currently set up in the monetisation landscape, Substack is actually feeding into the problem. And the elite management of Substack have yet to even acknowledge the elephant in the room. If creators residing in non-western regions don’t have the ways and means to get paid on this platform, the exhibition of their work on this platform won’t be governed by sustainability. Instead, it will be governed by struggle. And that’s just wrong.
No, I’m not anti-white; I’m anti-white privilege. There’s a difference. Take a good look at my list of paid subscriptions. I am a paid subscriber to three white creators and one Brown creator. I don’t want it to be that way. I want a far majority of my paid subscriptions to be dedicated to creators of colour. But the way Substack has set up the monetisation system has prevented me from being a paid subscriber to at least six creators residing in Africa, India, and the Middle East. So far, I’ve had to support some of these creators through alternative payment links. And I will go out of my way to pay them, precisely because of the fact that they deserve to get paid and valued consistently for their work.
On a final note, there are lots of things about Substack that I really like. But I’m pretty damned pissed off, at the moment. So, not in the mood to write about all the things about Substack that I like.
Lalipa, happy new year to you too and thank you for this incredibly thoughtful and powerful response. You’ve brought so much depth to this conversation, and I’m deeply moved by how intentionally you approach supporting creators from marginalized regions. Your advocacy, not just in words but in action, is so evident—your support through Buy Me a Coffee has been a lifeline for me and others facing the systemic exclusion you’ve so clearly outlined.
The way you’ve dissected Stripe’s so-called “Global Availability” is striking. It exposes not only the hypocrisy of the term but also the broader implications of digital gatekeeping, which perpetuate the same injustices we've been fighting for generations, now masked by algorithms and policies. The frustration you express about Substack’s lack of acknowledgment resonates deeply with me. It's enraging and heartbreaking to watch talented creators be pushed out of this space, not because their work lacks value but because the infrastructure wasn’t built to include them.
Your question about alternative payment gateways is so poignant because it’s practical, necessary, and long overdue. Why isn’t Substack doing this? It’s a glaring omission that undermines their claim to support independent voices globally. It’s as though they haven’t even paused to consider the creators who are systematically locked out, making the platform feel structurally white, as you’ve so rightly pointed out.
Your intentionality in curating your feed and directing your financial support to creators of colour is an incredible act of resistance that speaks volumes. It’s a reminder that systemic change doesn’t only come from those in power but also from individuals like you, making deliberate choices to push back against inequity.
I also want to acknowledge how much it means to have you fighting alongside us. Your words reflect the exhaustion and anger we feel, but they also carry an incredible amount of hope and solidarity. It’s people like you who make this fight feel less lonely and remind us that there’s a community that values and uplifts our voices.
Let’s keep holding these platforms accountable, not just for what they claim to stand for but for the potential they have to truly embody equity. Thank you, again, for your unwavering support and for taking the time to share this with all of us. It means the world 🤎🫶🏾
This part - "How can Substack claim to champion independent creators while simultaneously barring entire regions from economic participation? How can we build a world where creativity and thought are valued equally, if we continue to exclude voices based on where they come from?" 👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you SO much for writing and sharing. I didn't even know this was happening. Truly unacceptable.
Thank you so much Gigi for noting something worthwhile that you got from engaging with my work. I am grateful that you took the time to comment and assert my sentiments. 🙏🏾
Hoping that if Substack doesn't do anything about it, people will at least know what's happening.
I am hoping Substack will do something about it! As naïve as it may be, I constantly hold out hope.
But yes, in the meantime, at least people are now educated on the matter at hand.
🫶
Thank you for sharing this! I hope that if enough of us say something, we’ll see a change. I also wanted to note that (very frustratingly), Stripe Connect pays out on buymeacoffee to African creators and I have received no answers as to why that can’t be an alternative for Substack. Thank god Patreon uses PayPal. It’s just ludicrous to exclude entire continents, not just Africa, from the entire USP of your platform.
Thank you so much to you too for bravely speaking on this. It’s a table that needs to be shaken, if not completely made to come apart.
And that’s what has baffled me, we can get payouts on BuyMeACoffee but oddly can’t use it for subscriptions.
Let’s hope Substack starts taking this seriously and creating something widely accessible
Ummm what the heck! They need to fix this immediately! The work you are doing deserves to be rewarded just like everyone else. I’m very disappointed in this.
Thank you so much Leah for sharing in our frustration and disappointment. And also taking time to comment.
I hope something gives 🙏🏾
Me too! Keep us all updated and let us know what we can do as well.
They don't need to fix this, we need to do something!
Ugh I hate how so many of these platform indeed are cantered in the west and push western voices. I suppose the same goes to Instagram, where loads of African creators often have to move countries to monetise their services. It’s such a shame. These platforms are not global..they can be globally accessed but they are just as segregated as society at large. I really hope they fix this. Because this is kind of ruining this place for me now. Knowing I benefit from an unjust system just by living “in the right region” of the world makes me sick. 💔
Matunda, I deeply resonate with your frustration. It’s so easy to use these platforms without ever considering how they exclude others, and the fact that you’re thinking critically about this shows a great sense of awareness.
But I want to say, it’s not about feeling guilty for where you happen to be in the world—after all, we don’t choose our circumstances. What can be powerful, though, is how we use that awareness: By continuing to engage in these conversations, by amplifying underrepresented voices, and by pushing for change, you’re already challenging the system from within. The more we make noise, the more we force these platforms to reckon with their role in perpetuating inequality.
You being here, supporting this dialogue, is certainly part of the solution. Let’s keep pushing for the world we want 🙏🏾
Yes, I know love. It’s the injustice that’s overwhelming. But you are so right. We can all challenge the system the small ways we do everyday. It’s so important to hear this issue for your prospective. Though I know that black and brown creators are excluded from the influencer business here in Europe, this something different entirely, though still in the same package of supremacy. Thanks for facilitating for this dialogue.
How about you turn that “hate” into something useful, so we're not at the mercy of anyone. We need a similar platform created by Africans for African writers/creators
I feel your discomfort.
I'm here to join you and the chorus of voices asking Substack to add other payment options to its list for the reasons you outlined. I also wrote about this problem as part of my GiveBackStack origin story article in August (https://rainmakerschangemakers.substack.com/p/substack-activisim-a-givebackstack). Over the summer, @Ubuntu International's Antoinette @Rootsdawtah and I encouraged all of the community development, permaculture, art, and educator activists we collaborate with in Africa to join Substack only to find they couldn't monetize their publications. They are here writing (many of them I wrote about on the RainMakers & ChangeMakers Substack). But even writing here is difficult when you need a laptop to use the Writer Dashboard (effectively) and enough data and wifi to do so. My short-term solution was to monetize both of my Substacks for the benefit of the people I'm trying to go to bat for. It's not easy going. My readership isn't the right target audience, but I'm giving it a go.
Thank you so much Emily for personally doing such great advocacy around this sytstematic issue. I have read the linked post and shared it. Thank you for sharing and sharing your own experiences.
Awesome! The question remains whether Substack is listening and doing anything. I have zero influence so hoping together with the numbers you've got for your post something will change!
It is just sad that this has been, is, and will be relevant for at least the next couple of years (hopefully not!). Thank you Katz for speaking urgency into this matter.
It made me think of that time when I looked into making a wire transfer from a Malagasy account to a French account and found out they haven't come up with a tool/platform for that yet. Which goes back to a similar message: France (read Europe) does the deals with Madagascar (read Africa), not the other way around.
Thank you so much Priscilla for this comment and showing how much broader this is.
It really is frustrating to see this dynamic play out everywhere, even in something as basic as a wire transfer. It’s always on their terms—Europe set the rules, and Africa is left adapting. It’s a stark reminder of how unequal the system is, not just online but in every way. So whether it’s content creation or financial transactions, we’re still operating in a world where we are secondary.
Thank you so much for talking about this! It isn't only africa! It's also India because stripe doesn't work here and hasn't worked for years.
I faced this exact same problem with Medium and all platforms which use Stripe!
It's such a massive pain in the ass and so frustrating too! Also, so many more countries (especially "second/third world" ones) aren't allowed
Thank you my darling for reading and further emphasising how far and wide it goes. I've seen a few users from second and third world countries lamenting over this when I was researching it.
It is so unfair. I hope something gives, it's been way too long. And I'm so sorry you're experiencing this too 🤎
Thank you for pointing out that Medium are also exclusionary. I did not know.
I guess the question becomes --> how do you monetise if you are from Africa and from India?
Actually it's not just Africa and India...so many other countries are not included...just checked.
We would definitely need to raise a petition and create a movement together.
Also it'd be really cool if people from these countries understand these problems and create a platform that works for everyone. It exists countrywise now but not worldwide. Lemonsqueezy was one such payment gateway that I really liked. They have provisions of payment for all countries
Wow Katz you've really poured yourself on this one! Thank you so much for being brave and using your gift and platform to address this matter.
Thank you so much my good sis for seeing that and engaging with this 🤎
We are equally deserving to earn from this platform, should that be our goal. Truly hoping we will be finally heard.
Thanks for writing this and bringing it to the attention of other writers! Have you received any response from Substack? In addition to restacking your essay, I’d love to join your efforts to lobby for change. It seems absurd that Substack doesn’t partner with a different payment platform where needed!
Annie thank you so much for this and your eagerness to stand besides us in this fight.
I also appreciate you taking time to read and engage with this message so wholeheartedly 🙏🏾
And sadly Substack hasn’t said a thing
I've gone down the same rabbit holes. Great that you're sharing this. The answers we get feels very much like, " jump through a million hoops you may find a way or not" "sorry to bad." It's not just Substack though. As writers we contribute to the fabric of everything. Certain demographics and cultures should not be excluded but looked too highly for the valuable contribution to a global, diverse world. Without those voices there is a huge void.
Thank you so much Lezel. And you’re absolutely correct in that analysis. The answers fall flat, if they even ever come.
So every single creator deserves to have their contributions valued and affirmed in a way that’s meaningful for them so that they can continue showing up.
In relation to this I am thinking about language use of the internet. How the internet represents a dichotomy of colonialistic tendencies that pervades society
Roberto, you’ve touched on a deeply significant layer here. The language of the internet does often mirror colonial patterns, with English dominating as the global ‘default.’ This can subtly reinforce a hierarchy where certain voices and cultures are privileged, while others are sidelined—not just in terms of economic participation, but in how ideas are even allowed to circulate.
So, it’s not just about who can profit, but who can be understood and whose experiences get to shape the narrative.
Wow, thank you for bringing in this perspective too.
Thanks for writing this Katz. I had no idea!
While I’m not ready to monetise, it’s OFFENSIVE to find that I am limited from those resources simply because I’m in Africa.
We will keep amplifying the message. Or should we go and build our own? 🤔
Same here! I also wasn't ready to monetise until I played around with it and realised that nooo man, I cannot access this facility.
They do not see us and it's upsetting.
It would definitely be a strong impetus to leave the platform and create our own or find one that addresses the issues we are experiencing here.
This is so incredibly nuanced and important. It is and that years later, we as African creators still have to deal with this.
Soo sad! I can't believe that we have been blatantly ignored because you guys have raised it many years ago with its inception.
And a big thank you to you too David for writing on this and setting such an important foundation for me to explore this further. I appreciate you taking the time with my essay 🌻
This is obviously unjust and I have restacked this post! Definitely keep writing either way. In the future you could easily create an e-book as a compilation of some of your essays and offer to sell it to your subscribers with bonuses etc. There are many ways … Whatever happens, you must keep writing as you add so much value here.
Oh Michelle! 🥹🤎
You have no idea how much I appreciate your support and encouragement. Always delightful to see your comments. Always so kind and heartfelt.
Thank you for propagating this important message 🙏🏾
Thank you for writing this Katz! I did not know that African writers were penalised in this way, but I’m sadly not surprised. The colonial order replicates itself through modern tech. :( I’m writing from Aotearoa/New Zealand and of course occupy western privilege in that Stripe is available here. I sincerely hope that Substack steps up and facilitates the possibility of paid platforms in Africa soon. This is an excellent essay that I’ll be sharing around. Thank you for your work. ♥️
Thank you so much Laura for taking the time to read and engage with this essay. And what you have said about tech replicating colonial order is soo accurate and well said, it is sadly inevitable that these platforms we use do not exist in a vacuum and will inevitably become microcosms of the systems and structures we find in society.
The silence we have been met with is quite disheartening and I think most of us feel like this may be a losing battle.
Thank you for your support and getting it out there 🤎🤗
Happy New Year, Katz. I’ve arrived a bit late in the conversation, as you can see. But I’ve been thinking about my response for a while, and thought that New Year’s Day couldn’t be a better day to put it forward.
So, I’m now looking at the page for Stripe’s list of countries that they’re currently operating in. The list is placed under the title of “Global availability”, which is a major hypocrisy in and of itself because, instead, the title should be “Global Unavailability”. The countries in which Stripe is fully operational don’t even cover half the world’s population. That is how much they are literally denying humanity.
Here in Southeast Asia, Thailand (where I live), Malaysia and Singapore are the only three countries where Stripe is fully operational. Indonesia is in ‘preview’ (what exactly does that mean?). And when are we going to see any sign of introduction to Stripe in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and East Timor?
India is also in ‘preview’. If only Stripe was fully operational in India, there would be at least three creators residing in different places all over India to whom I would very happily pay annual subscriptions on Substack. (If you’re reading this, you know who you are.)
In Africa, there are ‘extended networks’ in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. This basically means that apart from the very limited Stripe support services in these four African countries, the entire continent of Africa — and, by extension, the creators representing the African cultural landscape, creative lifestyles, history, heritage, intellectual value and environmental resources — suffer from being ignored and effectively discriminated against — as has been done over the past hundreds of years, except that now we’re seeing it in the form of digital technology and international transactions.
I’m also looking at Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. It appears the only two countries where Stripe is fully operational are Mexico and Brazil.
And in the Middle East and West Asia, Stripe is only fully operational in the United Arab Emirates.
But this is where the elite management level of Substack is falling far, far short, and that’s me trying desperately hard to put it diplomatically. See, I do support Substack creators residing in Africa and India. I support them through alternative payment links, with Buy Me Coffee being the prime example. (I also support a Substack creator in Africa who uses a payment link via Patreon, which has always worked smoothly; and I know I get excellent value from his product, if that’s the marketing terminology one wants to use.)
Question: why can’t Substack incorporate (interlink?) the technical aspects of these alternative payment gateways, especially to set up and accommodate paid subscriptions for creators residing in Africa, India, and many other (non-western) countries, so that there is creative equality in terms of monetisation? It can’t be that hard. This is the year 2025, folks.
Substack is structurally white. I can think of no other way to say it. It angers me that creators residing in non-western regions cannot have monetisation equality. It also deeply saddens me that some of the very finest creators of colour have already left Substack to continue exhibiting their work on other platforms where they can monetise. I have followed them to these other platforms; the fact is that loyal supporters will follow amazing creators anywhere they decide to set up shop.
I will stay on Substack because we have to fight this together. And I will dedicate myself to supporting ‘our lot’ in whatever way I can.
I have yet to officially post anything on Substack. (I’m planning my posts a year in advance.) So far, I’ve only been posting on Notes. When it comes to official posting, I don’t yet consider myself to be a participant. But I have carefully designed my Substack feed so that I’m getting at least 80% of the feed content from creators of colour. That means that I have gone to the greatest lengths to mute and block white privilege, or at least what I consider to be white privilege. I don’t care how that sounds to neocolonialists. But I have to do my part to fight this white-washed system.
Substack has yet to prove itself to be part of the solution. By the way things are currently set up in the monetisation landscape, Substack is actually feeding into the problem. And the elite management of Substack have yet to even acknowledge the elephant in the room. If creators residing in non-western regions don’t have the ways and means to get paid on this platform, the exhibition of their work on this platform won’t be governed by sustainability. Instead, it will be governed by struggle. And that’s just wrong.
No, I’m not anti-white; I’m anti-white privilege. There’s a difference. Take a good look at my list of paid subscriptions. I am a paid subscriber to three white creators and one Brown creator. I don’t want it to be that way. I want a far majority of my paid subscriptions to be dedicated to creators of colour. But the way Substack has set up the monetisation system has prevented me from being a paid subscriber to at least six creators residing in Africa, India, and the Middle East. So far, I’ve had to support some of these creators through alternative payment links. And I will go out of my way to pay them, precisely because of the fact that they deserve to get paid and valued consistently for their work.
On a final note, there are lots of things about Substack that I really like. But I’m pretty damned pissed off, at the moment. So, not in the mood to write about all the things about Substack that I like.
Lalipa, happy new year to you too and thank you for this incredibly thoughtful and powerful response. You’ve brought so much depth to this conversation, and I’m deeply moved by how intentionally you approach supporting creators from marginalized regions. Your advocacy, not just in words but in action, is so evident—your support through Buy Me a Coffee has been a lifeline for me and others facing the systemic exclusion you’ve so clearly outlined.
The way you’ve dissected Stripe’s so-called “Global Availability” is striking. It exposes not only the hypocrisy of the term but also the broader implications of digital gatekeeping, which perpetuate the same injustices we've been fighting for generations, now masked by algorithms and policies. The frustration you express about Substack’s lack of acknowledgment resonates deeply with me. It's enraging and heartbreaking to watch talented creators be pushed out of this space, not because their work lacks value but because the infrastructure wasn’t built to include them.
Your question about alternative payment gateways is so poignant because it’s practical, necessary, and long overdue. Why isn’t Substack doing this? It’s a glaring omission that undermines their claim to support independent voices globally. It’s as though they haven’t even paused to consider the creators who are systematically locked out, making the platform feel structurally white, as you’ve so rightly pointed out.
Your intentionality in curating your feed and directing your financial support to creators of colour is an incredible act of resistance that speaks volumes. It’s a reminder that systemic change doesn’t only come from those in power but also from individuals like you, making deliberate choices to push back against inequity.
I also want to acknowledge how much it means to have you fighting alongside us. Your words reflect the exhaustion and anger we feel, but they also carry an incredible amount of hope and solidarity. It’s people like you who make this fight feel less lonely and remind us that there’s a community that values and uplifts our voices.
Let’s keep holding these platforms accountable, not just for what they claim to stand for but for the potential they have to truly embody equity. Thank you, again, for your unwavering support and for taking the time to share this with all of us. It means the world 🤎🫶🏾