Member-only story
Why you need pen names and publishers to protect your family
I’ve renamed my Medium account just recently. It’s possibly too little too late given I’ve had a name attached to it before now, but I was reminded yet again yesterday as to why I had originally intended not to have an identity associated with my Medium account.
But when I read what umair haque has just gone through (below), his experience of being the target of hate once he caught the wrong attention was a timely reminder.
Which is why I then thought I’d put down my thoughts for others as to why I would recommend anyone new to Medium (or talking in public in general) be very careful about protecting your identity.
People have used pen names to hide their gender and identity for a long time because of the consequences of expressing different views in a race of herd animals that have historically had a need to “normalise” behaviour and cull dissent for the good of the “tribe”.
