Substack for me is about community and I can’t have community with trolling, misogyny, transphobia etc. My subscribers love that they’re the only ones who can comment because the discussions are always thoughtful and considered. Probably once a week I’m told by subscribers they’re grateful for the space. They talk about how they no longer use Facebook or Twitter due to hysterical anti vaxx crap and TERF BS. If someone was turned off by my newsletter simply because I protect my community then they’re probably not the type of subscribers I’m after anyway. People of colour, trans folks, queer women get constant harassment and trolling - comments only for paid subscribers is crucial for being able to survive being online and doing this work. But it’s also crucial for having a real and honest discussion where people can be vulnerable, share their mistakes, learn together, grow together and challenge their thinking.