Amy, I have to tell you—this was nothing short of genius. The metaphor, the humor, the sharp cultural critique wrapped in nipple-level honesty (pun fully intended)—you’ve managed to say what so many of us have been struggling to name, and you did it with such wit and clarity.
Your line about repair being a way to come out the other side aligned in our fight against patriarchy—yes. That’s it. That’s what so much of this week’s discourse missed: the chance to look underneath the reaction, to stay with discomfort long enough to ask, what is this really about? And your refusal to separate what happened from the larger systemic forces at play? That’s the kind of clarity that helps weave meaning back into the mess.
Also… I’m now convinced that if more conversations were narrated by intelligent, self-aware nipples, we might actually get somewhere.
Jay, your words bring such joy to me on this Sunday morning here in NYC. I love writing about hard feelings, but I also love making others laugh. It's rare that I'm able to combine the two successfully, so knowing that you enjoyed this post means a lot to me. Thank you dear friend for you wisdom and your kindness. The world needs more of both right now. We may need to clone you. Are you okay with that? LOL. XO 🥰❤️
Oh, my true Self might have a few qualms about cloning—who knows what could go awry if the process isn’t handled with cosmic precision! 😄 But I absolutely agree: we need more kindness, more wisdom, more laughter stitched into the everyday. Much, much more.
Thank you for your light, Amy. It’s a joy to meet you in the space where hard feelings and humor dance together. XO 💛
What Jay said. :) Also, I think I know who you must be referring to and it makes me curious - I didn't get a chance to look at said author's Substack before it was gone. Thank god your nipples aren't going anywhere. The world needs them.
Hi Bonnie, I appreciate you asking this with such openness. It’s a question I’ve been holding close over the past days—not only because of Glennon’s departure, but because of what it unearthed across this space and in me.
From where I stand, the negativity wasn’t just about Glennon—it was about what her presence symbolized. I’ve engaged with voices from many sides: those who felt hurt or displaced by how she arrived, and those who resonated deeply with her presence and were heartbroken by the outcome. And what I keep returning to is this: what surfaced was less about one person and more about the systems and conditioning we all carry.
Much of the response, especially the pushback, seemed rooted in scarcity and a very real sense of precarity many writers here experience. In that context, a high-profile voice can feel threatening, even if unintentionally so.
And I also believe this wasn’t just about audience size—it was about visibility, control, and unspoken rules of belonging. Many who criticized her did so from a place of deeply felt values—about fairness, voice, and space.
Yet the tone and form of that criticism often mirrored the very patterns they hoped to challenge: gatekeeping, silencing, and projection.
What troubled me most was how easily the space shifted from dialogue to judgment.
And how quickly a person—just one person—became a vessel for so many unresolved tensions.
Glennon wasn’t here to dominate.
She showed up, as many of us do, hoping to connect. But in doing so, she triggered dynamics that live far beneath the surface: who gets to belong, what “earning your place” means, and how quickly we turn on one another when those old systems get disrupted.
As a person who has spent a lifetime outside of conformity, I felt this play out in ways I’ve lived myself.
The moment you don’t fit the expected mold—whether because of how you speak, how you look, or how you take up space—responses can become sharp, even when unintentional.
So for me, the issue wasn’t Glennon’s arrival or departure.
It was how this moment revealed just how much work we still have to do to create truly inclusive, non-hierarchical spaces—ones that don’t just tolerate difference, but welcome it. I hold hope that we can still choose that path.
It’s so ridiculous. Good ol’ boys (the fat bellied sheriff demographic) can let their big ol’ man titties flap in breeze without consequences. Our retinas will be damaged by their presence, but they will still get a pass. Keep up the good fight. The patriarchy is weaker than they think. I’m hexing them daily.
Thank you Sharon! It's all so ridiculous this differentiation between male and female nipples. I love a good hex - let's continue to fight the good fight! XO 🥰❤️
Thank you Mesa! As I said to K, sometimes the nips know best 🤣. In all seriousness, when situations become polarized and highly charged, I turn to humor. I have been judged unfairly and I have unfairly judged others at different points in my life. When I've hurt someone inadvertently, I'm grateful for the chance to apologize. I don't hide behind my intent the way I used to. I focus on my impact instead. Big hugs to you!
🤣 Thanks, Amy. The best thing I have read about the GD controversy, hands down (on your nipples if you don’t mind, we don’t need to see those puppies!)
Your nipples deserve a Peace Prize for their perky genius, their humanity, their ability to speak truth to power. To stand out, or to remain inconspicuous. To stand up to the patriarchy in its, sadly, many many corrosive forms. And, perhaps most importantly, their ability to put food on the table.
Thank you so much Betsy! I graciously accept the nomination, but if my nipples did win the Peace Prize, I would have to accept on their behalf, at least in the US. The double standard is so ridiculous. Men's nipples have zero potential to feed anyone and yet they are allowed to be on full display without consequence. Maddening!
I declare this the definitive post on the GD debacle. Thank you for your unique perspective, thoughts and prayers for your nipples as we move forward….🥰
Thank you so much Eileen for this supportive and enthusiastic comment! I was thinking that maybe my nipples should go out on tour, spreading wisdom across the land, but in the US, I would be arrested for indecent exposure (unless I was nursing or giving birth - both highly unlikely as a 57 yr old woman). I'll have to remember that freedom is rarely granted or given away, but fought for and won.
I love this, Amy. It’s a prophetic warning for us all. They’re coming for us but the only way they’ll get us is if we divide ourselves first. Welcome, abundance, kindness. That is my mantra.
Hi Amy! I'm so glad you liked it, and that it made you laugh. The whole thing is both ridiculous and troubling at the same time. As women, if we don't stick together we will all be ripped to shreds.
Genius—probably the most overused word to describe this but 🤷🏻♀️🥰 Thank you for using humor as both scalpel and balm. We need more of this energy in the world (and more unapologetic nipples, too).
Oh, my dearest Amy. Bringing your nipples into the conversation is pure genius. May the Fourth be with you. Goddess bless your heart, soul, and every single or double part of your body. Love you, lady!🙏❤️💕🫶
What a wonderful comment to wake up to this morning! Mary, you are amazing. It's a rainy Monday here in NYC, but you make me feel like the sun is shining right on me. Love you so much! XO 🥰❤️🥰❤️
Amy, I have to tell you—this was nothing short of genius. The metaphor, the humor, the sharp cultural critique wrapped in nipple-level honesty (pun fully intended)—you’ve managed to say what so many of us have been struggling to name, and you did it with such wit and clarity.
Your line about repair being a way to come out the other side aligned in our fight against patriarchy—yes. That’s it. That’s what so much of this week’s discourse missed: the chance to look underneath the reaction, to stay with discomfort long enough to ask, what is this really about? And your refusal to separate what happened from the larger systemic forces at play? That’s the kind of clarity that helps weave meaning back into the mess.
Also… I’m now convinced that if more conversations were narrated by intelligent, self-aware nipples, we might actually get somewhere.
With laughter, resonance, and deep appreciation,
Jay 🧡🦁
Jay, your words bring such joy to me on this Sunday morning here in NYC. I love writing about hard feelings, but I also love making others laugh. It's rare that I'm able to combine the two successfully, so knowing that you enjoyed this post means a lot to me. Thank you dear friend for you wisdom and your kindness. The world needs more of both right now. We may need to clone you. Are you okay with that? LOL. XO 🥰❤️
Oh, my true Self might have a few qualms about cloning—who knows what could go awry if the process isn’t handled with cosmic precision! 😄 But I absolutely agree: we need more kindness, more wisdom, more laughter stitched into the everyday. Much, much more.
Thank you for your light, Amy. It’s a joy to meet you in the space where hard feelings and humor dance together. XO 💛
What Jay said. :) Also, I think I know who you must be referring to and it makes me curious - I didn't get a chance to look at said author's Substack before it was gone. Thank god your nipples aren't going anywhere. The world needs them.
My nipples are here for the long haul, have no fear Bonnie! XO 🥰❤️🥰❤️
Here to piggy back off this celebration of your brilliance Amy!! Loved this letter!! ❤️❤️
Sometimes, the nips know best. Thank you K for always supporting me, all of me XO 🥰❤️
Bonnie, what are you curious about? You can at least watch her Welcome Live with Liz still here: https://substack.com/@elizabethgilbert/note/p-162369819
Curious to get a sense of why there was negativity, especially as the Letters from Love community is so welcoming.
Hi Bonnie, I appreciate you asking this with such openness. It’s a question I’ve been holding close over the past days—not only because of Glennon’s departure, but because of what it unearthed across this space and in me.
From where I stand, the negativity wasn’t just about Glennon—it was about what her presence symbolized. I’ve engaged with voices from many sides: those who felt hurt or displaced by how she arrived, and those who resonated deeply with her presence and were heartbroken by the outcome. And what I keep returning to is this: what surfaced was less about one person and more about the systems and conditioning we all carry.
Much of the response, especially the pushback, seemed rooted in scarcity and a very real sense of precarity many writers here experience. In that context, a high-profile voice can feel threatening, even if unintentionally so.
And I also believe this wasn’t just about audience size—it was about visibility, control, and unspoken rules of belonging. Many who criticized her did so from a place of deeply felt values—about fairness, voice, and space.
Yet the tone and form of that criticism often mirrored the very patterns they hoped to challenge: gatekeeping, silencing, and projection.
What troubled me most was how easily the space shifted from dialogue to judgment.
And how quickly a person—just one person—became a vessel for so many unresolved tensions.
Glennon wasn’t here to dominate.
She showed up, as many of us do, hoping to connect. But in doing so, she triggered dynamics that live far beneath the surface: who gets to belong, what “earning your place” means, and how quickly we turn on one another when those old systems get disrupted.
As a person who has spent a lifetime outside of conformity, I felt this play out in ways I’ve lived myself.
The moment you don’t fit the expected mold—whether because of how you speak, how you look, or how you take up space—responses can become sharp, even when unintentional.
So for me, the issue wasn’t Glennon’s arrival or departure.
It was how this moment revealed just how much work we still have to do to create truly inclusive, non-hierarchical spaces—ones that don’t just tolerate difference, but welcome it. I hold hope that we can still choose that path.
Love xo Jay
Oh interesting (and unfortunate). Thank you for explaining. I'll take a look to see more for myself.
It’s so ridiculous. Good ol’ boys (the fat bellied sheriff demographic) can let their big ol’ man titties flap in breeze without consequences. Our retinas will be damaged by their presence, but they will still get a pass. Keep up the good fight. The patriarchy is weaker than they think. I’m hexing them daily.
Thank you Sharon! It's all so ridiculous this differentiation between male and female nipples. I love a good hex - let's continue to fight the good fight! XO 🥰❤️
“big ol’ man titties flap in breeze without consequences.”
🤣 I'm literally dead 🤣💀
I fucking love you so much 😍😍😍😍😍 You and your nipples are brilliant!!
Thank you Mesa! As I said to K, sometimes the nips know best 🤣. In all seriousness, when situations become polarized and highly charged, I turn to humor. I have been judged unfairly and I have unfairly judged others at different points in my life. When I've hurt someone inadvertently, I'm grateful for the chance to apologize. I don't hide behind my intent the way I used to. I focus on my impact instead. Big hugs to you!
And the award for best title goes to… Amy Gabrielle!!!
Aww, thank you so much Susan 🥰❤️
Brilliant and hilarious Amy 😂🫶🏽👏🏽
Thank you so much Jamal!
🤣 Thanks, Amy. The best thing I have read about the GD controversy, hands down (on your nipples if you don’t mind, we don’t need to see those puppies!)
Thank you so much Ros!! 🥰❤️
Damn. This was marvelous.
Thank you so much Jazmine 🥰
Your nipples deserve a Peace Prize for their perky genius, their humanity, their ability to speak truth to power. To stand out, or to remain inconspicuous. To stand up to the patriarchy in its, sadly, many many corrosive forms. And, perhaps most importantly, their ability to put food on the table.
Thank you so much Betsy! I graciously accept the nomination, but if my nipples did win the Peace Prize, I would have to accept on their behalf, at least in the US. The double standard is so ridiculous. Men's nipples have zero potential to feed anyone and yet they are allowed to be on full display without consequence. Maddening!
I declare this the definitive post on the GD debacle. Thank you for your unique perspective, thoughts and prayers for your nipples as we move forward….🥰
Thank you so much Eileen for this supportive and enthusiastic comment! I was thinking that maybe my nipples should go out on tour, spreading wisdom across the land, but in the US, I would be arrested for indecent exposure (unless I was nursing or giving birth - both highly unlikely as a 57 yr old woman). I'll have to remember that freedom is rarely granted or given away, but fought for and won.
Genius, as always 💚
Thank you so much @Raju Tai 🥰🙏
I love this, Amy. It’s a prophetic warning for us all. They’re coming for us but the only way they’ll get us is if we divide ourselves first. Welcome, abundance, kindness. That is my mantra.
Brilliance! I just want to claim that you are a subscriber - you are, right? Because this reflects well on me. 😀
Thank you! Yes, I am a subscriber, 💯!
Subscribed back! 😂💕
Amy, you are absolutely brilliant. Thanks for making me laugh AND think, a talent I always appreciate!
Hi Amy! I'm so glad you liked it, and that it made you laugh. The whole thing is both ridiculous and troubling at the same time. As women, if we don't stick together we will all be ripped to shreds.
Free nipples! Support nipples! This was brilliant 🤗 Thank you.
Thank you so much for both you support and enthusiasm ☺️❤️
Genius—probably the most overused word to describe this but 🤷🏻♀️🥰 Thank you for using humor as both scalpel and balm. We need more of this energy in the world (and more unapologetic nipples, too).
Thank you so much Mansi for this generous compliment! "Using humor as both a scalpel and a balm." I love it 🥰❤️
Oh, my dearest Amy. Bringing your nipples into the conversation is pure genius. May the Fourth be with you. Goddess bless your heart, soul, and every single or double part of your body. Love you, lady!🙏❤️💕🫶
What a wonderful comment to wake up to this morning! Mary, you are amazing. It's a rainy Monday here in NYC, but you make me feel like the sun is shining right on me. Love you so much! XO 🥰❤️🥰❤️