I do perform that compromise workaround you mention. I copy old stories, save as new drafts, delete the old story and submit the draft to a publication. But sometimes the old version of the story has some nice comments or engagement and deleting them is such a shame.

That Medium treats old stories as “old news” must come from its wish to be the goto place for news and views. It doesn’t carer very well to the fact that poems and fiction are timeless.

Fun fact: Poems I republish to publications pretty much always get more views, reads and claps from members too than their now-deleted twin behind the paywall. But that’s the point of the original post anyways!