Sinister Wisdom publishes work by Lesbians. Sinister Wisdom takes the definition of lesbian from Cheryl Clarke. In her influential essay, "Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance" Clarke writes, "I, for one, identify a woman as a lesbian who says she is. Lesbianism is a recognition, an awakening, a reawakening of our passion for each (woman) other (woman) and for same (woman)."

Sinister Wisdom is interested particularly in work that reflects the diversity of our experiences: as lesbians of color, multiracial lesbians, ethnic lesbians, Jewish lesbians, Arab lesbians, old lesbians, young lesbians, working class lesbians, poverty class lesbians, gender queer lesbians, butch lesbians, masculine of center lesbians, androgynous lesbians, femme lesbians, trans lesbians, disabled lesbians, and fat Lesbians.

Sinister Wisdom welcomes experimental work.

Sinister Wisdom will not print anything that is oppressive or demeaning to lesbians or women, or that perpetuates stereotypes.

Sinister Wisdom keeps an open and critical dialogue on all the issues that affect our lives, joy, and survival.

Sinister Wisdom acquires first North American serial rights for all work that we publish. By acquiring first North American serial rights, authors guarantee that publication in Sinister Wisdom will be the first publication in North America. That is, the work has not appeared previously in another journal, in a book, online, or in other forms of publication. In rare instances, Sinister Wisdom will reprint work that has been previously published. Authors should discuss with the editor and publisher PRIOR to submission.

Many questions about rights are answered here: https://www.pw.org/content/copyright

Upon publication, all rights revert to the author.

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