The whorticulturalist is a new feminist online magazine “concerned with sex, love, power, money, and desire, this is a publication curated by women, and written mainly by women.”

Of course, I needed to know more about how this magazine was created and what they’re looking for in submissions, so I asked Editor-in-Chief Pattie Bee a few questions to find out. See my interview with Bee and a link to submission guidelines below.

HOPKINSON: Tell me a little bit about the whorticulturalist. 

BEE: The whorticulturalist is a feminist magazine that seeks to understand the power dynamics at hand when we think about sex, culture, intimacy, and the erotic. It acknowledges that female sexuality is often a form of unpaid labour, and we seek the explore the creative ways that women are rebalancing the scale.

HOPKINSON: How/why was the whorticulturalist originally started?

BEE: I grew up in a very conservative Christian household with a very toxic abstinence-only based sex education. It led to a lot of trauma in my life, including sexual violence, but more than that, a deep misunderstanding that sex could be enjoyable, and didn’t need to be shameful. I have since been very interested in exploring this topic in a more thoughtful and critical manner, hence this magazine.

HOPKINSON: Who is your target reader audience?

BEE: Anyone is welcome to read our magazine, but we consider ourselves a home to women of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, colors, and sexual identities who are seeking to expand their understandings of sex, sexuality, and feminine power.

HOPKINSON: What type of work are you looking for?

BEE: We look for think-pieces, critiques of modern culture, erotica, memoirs, personal essays, current culture reviews (film, books, podcasts etc), poetry, and art.

HOPKINSON: What do you wish you’d see submitted, but rarely comes in? 

BEE: I’d love to see more work from sex workers. As a former sex worker myself, I understand that our voices are often marginalized, however, our perspective on the value systems of sex work and power in modern society is unique and also extremely impactful.

HOPKINSON: What are some of your favorite lit mags/journals?

BEE: We love Killer and a Sweet Thing, Nylon, The Cut, and Bitch.

HOPKINSON: What is your favorite part of being on staff with the whorticulturalist?

BEE: I’ve run a literary magazine before (Bitterzoet) and really loved it. I love creating a platform that people want to read and interact with, but this time around, I’m excited to enact radical change with the work we produce, and create a community that actively supports one another.

HOPKINSON: Where can we send submissions? 

BEE: You can submit all pitches or work to hi@thewhorticulturalist.com.

HOPKINSON: If someone has a question, how can they contact you?

BEE: Email us anytime at hi@thewhorticulturalist.com, we will get back to you within a day!

Click here to read submission guidelines.

DEADLINE: Year round

NOTES: mainly a publication for women by women

FORMAT: digitally online

SUBMISSION FEE: None for regular submissions

PAYMENT: None

FORMS: thought-pieces on modern culture, feminist reviews of books/tv shows/movies, memoir, erotica, creative nonfiction, poetry, art, photography, and essays

SUBMISSION METHOD: Email

DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/29353/the-whorticulturalist

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

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