Untamed (adj.)/ un.tamed /ʌnˈteɪmd/: Left in a natural or wild state; not made less wild or less difficult to control. 

We are interested in stories concerning anything and everything “wild,” “uncontrolled,” “uncultivated,” “unruly,” “undeveloped,” and “fiercely independent,” across time and space.  

Like “witch,” the term, “untamed” has long been pejoratively used to connote unruly, “wild,” and transgressive people, places, and things. From “wild women,” enslaved and colonized peoples, to nature, land, and resources, “untamed” has been leveraged as a justification for control, exploitation, and subjugation.  With weighty gendered and racialized connotations comes resistance and radical joy in rejecting the status quo and systems of oppression, embracing the “wild” side, and engaging in a new relationship with one’s self and one’s roots. We are particularly keen to explore our interdependent relationship to land, the environment, and how we can do better by it in the context of our current climate crisis and across socio-cultural, political, and economic strata. This may include anything related to ecofeminism and the climate justice movement, “roots” and (bio)cultural heritage, and spiritual-ecological knowledge systems.

That said, “untamed” is unbound, and we welcome submissions and pitches that go beyond the binary of human/nature and think about the other ways in which we try — for better or worse — to control (or embrace) the unruly: from wrangling tangled hair (and bodies more broadly), meditations on movement, clothing conventions, and broader reflections on sexuality, age, and who gets to be wild, and who is ostracized for it. 

We will consider both longer form, reported stories, as well as short form content. This includes anything and everything from articles, personal essays, interviews, short fiction stories, poetry, songs, cultural critiques (book/film/music reviews), photography, paintings, drawings, recipes… you pick! We prioritize centering female, BIPOC, and queer perspectives, but welcome submissions from all. 

Some food for thought (ideas to get your wheels turning but no mean guardrails).  

• Guerilla gardening and/or foraging 

• Conversations with climate activists 

• Indigenous perspectives and cosmovisions related to land, sovereignty, and climate justice

• Hair… (as Dolly said: “Never ignore your roots, your home, or your hair”) 

• Sexuality, sex… let’s talk about sex baby! 

• A feminist history of national parks, land trusts, and other nature “preserves,” anyone!? 

• How does, like… radio work? Is it kind of crazy that we can just “control” and capture sound…? Asking for a friend… 

• A contemporary review of Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run with Wolves?  Psychologists/therapists-in-training we’re looking at you

• Also curious about dams …

• A recipe with wild/foraged ingredients, perhaps!

• The outdoor clothing industrial complex …

• Aging women, post-menopause, and expected tameness 

Submission Guidelines 

Send pitches/submissions to itswitchmagazine@gmail.com with “WRITING PITCH” - Last Name or “VISUALS PITCH - Last Name” in the subject line. 

For all work, please include a short biography. We value ideas over resumes, but want to know a bit about you! If you have published work previously, whether in a publication or personal blog, please provide relevant links/attachments. 

For Written Work

• 200-500 word summary and outline of the essay, article, story, interview etc. and its central themes and focus 

• A structure and projected word count 

• For reported pieces, please include a few sample sources 

*If you have a fully developed piece of work that aligns with the theme, you are welcome to attach it as a PDF file + biography in lieu of a pitch. 

For Visual Submissions

• Individual image files/single pdf featuring proposed work OR a short 100-200 word proposal describing the intended visual project AND a link to your website, portfolio, instagram, or photo attachments with work samples

Essential Details

Written and visual submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 25th at 11:59 PM EST. We encourage you to submit as early as possible.  

Accepted submissions will be contacted by early October with finalized pieces due October 21st  (with some flexibility depending on scale/scope of the piece). The issue will be released in Winter 2026/7. 

*We do not accept or publish any pitches, submissions, or commissions where AI has been used in any capacity.