Contribute
External Submissions are currently CLOSED.
If you have a story to share we want to hear from you! Nuance is a digital magazine focused on diversifying and expanding the sexual health conversation by centering underrepresented voices living on Turtle Island (North America). Submissions are currently closed.
Who can submit?
We publish “nuanced perspectives” from underrepresented voices in media. We prioritize first and second generation (im)migrant, black, latin(x), LGBTQQIA, young (under 29) voices and give preference to artists from Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.* If you don’t identify with the above, but still have a nuanced take on a relevant issue, we would still be happy to review your submission.
What can I submit?
Our aim is to diversify and expand the sexual health conversation by providing nuanced reflections and critiques on all things sex, sexuality, relationships, and (sexual) health. This may mean including cultural and spiritual perspectives on how sexual health affects our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
We are open to all forms of digital content (visual, written, multi-media) that provides a different set of lens and intersections to sex, i.e. racialized, decolonial, multi-cultural, LGBTQQIA, trans-inclusionary, disability, faith-affirming, multi-lingual, to name a few.
For example, we would be interested to see how state oppression and sexual health are linked (eg. how does the state treatment of young brown and black men influence people’s ideas and decisions around parenthood?).
Please note for poetry submissions that Medium only supports work formatted with regular spacing.
Key Topics:
While submissions are open-themed, we will be prioritizing work around sex, pregnancy, abortion, miscarriage, post-birth health, STIs, HIV, pleasure/orgasms.
Additional topics include:
Spirituality/Sex and the Erotic in religious texts/Ethics
Shifting states and labels (sexual preference/libido/frequency of sex in a relationship)
Relationships/ Dating/ Marriage / Living Together/ Divorce / Gender Roles
Boundaries/Fetish/Kink/Non-verbal consent/Sex with Disabilities/Sex after trauma/Sex work
Sex Education/Abstinence/PCOS/
Pornography/Erotica/Erotic Art/Nude art
Self-Love/Body image/Gender-affirming surgeries/Vaginoplasty/Hymen reconstruction
Inter-generational relationships and understandings of family/dating/gender roles/children/sexuality
Ideas for what a piece could look like:
- [Photo] Series: different relationship types, family types, parental types
- Lingerie How-To’s: non-femme lingerie, inexpensive lingerie, local & body positive lingerie stores
- What does your culture and religion say about how people should express their sexuality?
- Review of sex toys
- Debunking myths on non-hetero sex
- What Canadian Sexual Health orgs/ university health clinics need to know about immigrant SRH
- Navigating masturbation / seeking privacy in a shared household (finding privacy)
- Toronto / GTA-based visual artists who are changing the conversation around sexual pleasure and body acceptance
- Interfaith and intercultural dating experiences
- What does pleasure mean? How do/did you learn about pleasure? How should sexual partners communicate?
- “What do you wish people knew about your sexual behaviors?” — People/ Friends/Parents/Sexual health services
- How are you getting over associating sex with shame?
Want more inspiration? Read:
All contributors must have ownership of their work and can choose to have their piece published anonymously. Please note that while we love receiving short poems, we may not always commission artwork to accompany them.
How do I submit?
Fill out the form and attach your submission here:
Once you’ve submitted your piece we’ll review and get back to you within 2–3 weeks of submission closure. We’ll let you know if your piece is accepted and if so, our Content Editor will be in touch to finalize the publication and confirm your payment!
Interested in being commissioned for visuals?
We have a variety of artists who create the visuals that accompany our written pieces. If you would like to be contacted about being commissioned for illustrations, photos, animations etc. please fill out this form.
Fee Schedule
Listed below is the fee schedule for the typical forms of content we receive. If you don’t see the format of your submission here or have something out of the ordinary in mind, DM us on Instagram (@shareyournuance) with a brief description of your concept — we love getting other forms of artistic expression!
This fee schedule also applies to commission requests.
Common FAQs
Q: Do I have to own the work to submit it?
A: Yes, 100%. Pieces can include quotes (citing the owner or source) and links to external resources.
Q: Can I submit something that has been published previously?
A: If it is published on a personal blog/website, then probably yes. If it’s published through another organization, unfortunately, no — but send us the link to your piece through DM on Instagram (@shareyournuance), we’d love to check it out.
Q: Do you have anything you won’t publish?
A: We understand that sometimes people use visual forms of expression or words to push boundaries and illustrate contentious topics. While we encourage this exploration and creative form of advocacy, we will not publish anything that is ultimately intended to be disrespectful towards others. We believe in reinforcing positive attitudes and behaviours so please use your best judgement of what that looks like and DM us on Instagram (@shareyournuance) if you’re unsure.
* these are requirements of our grant funding
