Dear Readers of So to Speak,

Welcome to yet another fantastic online issue, featuring visual art, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction that emphasizes a particular intersection. The pieces in this issue all represent a unique voice in feminism, and they share perspectives on everything from plural marriages in Mormonism, to disordered eating and self-image distortion, to new twists on myth and historical anecdote. The voices in this issue are interested in tracing hairline fractures back to the root — to call the root, a wound inherited or received, what it is: painful reminders dealt by society of place, expectation, and oppression.

Each artist and author deals with the recognition of these wounds differently, but all reshape how the wound is viewed. Some fragment and blur, others re-contextualize, others reflect, explore, assert new narratives. The result is art that moves you. See how the wounds become horrible and lovely under the weight of the creative vision of these artists.

But the wound remains. And so, journals like So to Speak sharpen and expand their missions to shine a light, to give a platform, and to remind all those carrying their own unique wounds that the world needs their vision and voice. The folk wisdom of healing a wound says that at some point, the protective covering must come off, and the wound must be exposed to air. Let this issue of So to Speak, and every issue of So to Speak, be your call to take the chance and remove the bandage. To join us in the raw air and let your story be heard. We at So to Speak proudly stand with our contributors and eagerly await to hear the voices of those contributors to come.

It’s So to Speak‘s 25th anniversary year. We’re proud to put out this Summer 2018 issue, the first of what we hope to be a big year. We hope you enjoy this issue, and our forthcoming issues this year as we continue to challenge ourselves to be more inclusive in our feminism, more mindful of intersectionality and perspective. In the upcoming year, we will open our Fall 2018 contest submissions (set to be published in the Spring) as well as open  submissions for our Summer 2019 online issue (submissions to be opened in the Spring). In the meantime, we’ll be working hard to coordinate events in our community that benefit charities that align with our mission. When we’re not reading submissions, we’ll also be hard at work crafting year-round blog content that covers everything from book reviews, to hybrid creative work, to events and interviews. So enjoy this incredible work and stay tuned for even more as So to Speak celebrates 25 years of evolving feminist ideas and work.

All the very best and brightest,

Alexandria Petrassi

Editor in Chief