Content Warning Policy

Content Warning Statement Policy for The Lion’s Write Journal

The Lion’s Write Journal is a space where lived experience is honoured, not hidden. We publish powerful personal stories that may engage with difficult realities—including trauma, marginalisation, and injustice.

We are committed to creating a brave and compassionate reading environment by offering content warnings that help readers make informed, autonomous choices about their engagement.

 

 What Are Content Warnings?

Content warnings (CWs) are short notices placed before a piece of writing, alerting readers to potentially distressing or triggering material.

They do not censor or dilute stories. Instead, they uphold the journal’s ethics of care by:

  • Respecting each reader’s boundaries and context
  • Reducing the risk of harm
  • Supporting mental and emotional accessibility

 

How We Use Content Warnings

  • Contributors are invited (not obligated) to include content warnings when submitting work. Our editorial team will support them in identifying any themes that may require warnings.
  • Editors may suggest adding a CW where necessary, in collaboration with the author, especially if the content covers common distressing themes (e.g., medical trauma, abuse, suicide, racism).
  • Readers will see content warnings at the start of each piece or abstract. These will be brief and non-descriptive (e.g., CW: chronic pain, medical neglect).

Examples of Common Content Warnings

  • Chronic pain or flare narratives
  • Medical gaslighting or trauma
  • Ableism or discrimination
  • Racism, colonisation, intergenerational trauma
  • Mental health distress, suicidality
  • Death, grief, or loss
  • Substance use or self-harm

We aim for specificity without graphic detail—e.g., CW: surgical trauma rather than CW: graphic surgery description.

Our Commitment

We believe storytelling is healing and therapeutic, but this process must be rooted in choice, context, and consent. Our content warning policy is part of a broader commitment to trauma-informed publishing, intersectional accessibility, and ethical narrative power.

If you have feedback on how we can improve the safety or accessibility of our journal, please contact us at [email address or form].