I used to be part of a global community

but I’m no longer a member because I don’t live in the US

NOTE: This actually seems to have been fixed since the time I started writing my story (a while ago) and the time I cut-and-pasted it here. My bad. But, you know, keep us in mind anyway, eh?

Dear Editor(s) of [insert publication name here],

I was keen to sign up as a member of your publication, to read the stories you’re locking behind a paywall, to support you and/or your writers, and to show my appreciation for your efforts.

But I couldn’t figure out how to do it.

I went around and around in circles, trying to figure out where to pay. I clicked every link you provided and I still ended up in the same spot with nowhere to pay. I was very confused, and felt more than a little stupid.

But, you see, it’s not me. It’s Medium.

It seems that the whole “Membership Beta” deal is only happening for your North American audience and those of us in the rest of the world, e.g. Australia, are excluded.

So I don’t get to see your Valentine’s Day special or your weekly Editor’s selection or join your Slack Channel. (That is, unless you’ve been helpful enough to understand my situation and give me access anyway—you know who you are.)

And I’m rapidly losing motivation to be involved in your publication because I feel like an outsider. When (if?) memberships open up here in the arse end of the world, I may well have moved on to spaces where my geographical location isn’t such a hindrance to my basic enjoyment of the platform.

I’m sorry it had to be this way.

~T