Zines are making a splash in a big way. They’re self-published, small-circulation little, baby, magazines. Zines are great because they’re easy, informal, creative, and really whatever you want them to be. You can make a zine about fashion and football or a zine for radical feminists.
Bitch Media, the radical feminist media group, started as a zine back in 1996 and grew into it’s current form. Even Frank Ocean released a limited-edition zine. These five zines hit on a range of intersectional feminist themes including culture, fashion, race, and age. While traditionally zines are printed versions, most of these zines have a strong online presence as well. After looking at these five super engaging zines, you’ll be wanting to create your own too.
1. Sula Collective
Sula Collective is an online zine for “people of colo(u)r to share both our frustrations and hopes through the most creative mediums.” They share beautiful spreads, opinions and art about being a person of color in the world. Some editions include women’s month and cultural discomfort.
[bctt tweet=”The Sula Collective shares beautiful spreads, opinions and art about being a person of color in the modern world. ” username=”wearethetempest”]
2. Kazoo Magazine
Kazoo was started by Erin Bried and her daughters Ellie and Be when they realized there wasn’t a print magazine targeted towards 5-10 year old girls. Their magazine aims to “celebrate [girls] for being strong, smart, fierce and, above all, true to themselves.” They started via Kickstarter and in 30 days became the most successful journalism campaign. Their pages included professional artists like xx, candy recipes from professional chefs, and spreads on science from xx.
[bctt tweet=”Kazoo inspires and empowers young girls by showing them that they can be anything and everything they dream of!” username=”wearethetempest”]
3. SEASON
SEASON is a hybrid between football (soccer) and fashion. It is a biannual print issue that aims to “empower women in modern football (soccer) culture by giving them an honest voice and sharing their stories, opinions, and style.” This zine is both upscale and well-done but also relatable and real. By combining fashion and football, SEASON highlights that women don’t have to choose between sporty or stylish, but can be both.
[bctt tweet=”By combining fashion and football, SEASON highlights that women don’t have to choose between sporty or stylish, but can be both.” username=”wearethetempest”]
4. Genda
Genda is a magazine that is a global production of east meets west. With one editor in Italy and one in China, the magazine aims to look for commonality in culture, while also celebrating diversity. Printed in both English and Chinese, Genda is a print magazine as well as online collection of eastern and western artists. Genda aims to use the cultural misunderstandings and complications to spark questions on place, identity, and blending cultures.
[bctt tweet=”The zine, Genda, fuses east and western cultures by using cultural misunderstandings and complications to spark questions about place, identity, and multiculturalism.” username=”wearethetempest”]
5. Womanzine
Womanzine, like it sounds, is a zine created for and by women. They feature: cartoons, jokes (knock-knock or not or whatever), news stories (real or fake), recipes, case studies on internet slang and so much more. Womanzine is self-identified as “too sexy and weird.” I think it’s the greatest.
[bctt tweet=”Womanzine is self-identified as “too sexy and weird.” I think it’s the greatest. ” username=”wearethetempest”]
I hope these five fabulous zines have inspired you to go out and read some small-scale publications. Got an idea, some old photos or a cool poem? You can turn all your little odds and ends into your very own zine too!
