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1. The author argues that zines are important spaces for the LGBTQ community to document history, express themselves, and create art without restrictions imposed by industry rules.

2. The persuasiveness of the argument may vary for each individual, but the author provides reasons such as creative freedom, accessibility, and the ability to contribute to queer storytelling traditions to support their position. There are no specific citations or links provided in the text.

3. The author's stance is in favor of the significance of zines for the LGBTQ community. While the author may have a particular bias towards celebrating and preserving zines, they acknowledge the importance of zines for marginalized communities and their survival.

4. The text explores the history and role of zines in the LGBTQ community, which may be a familiar topic for readers who are already acquainted with zine culture. Other sources may provide additional information or perspectives on the subject.

5. If the reader values the role of zines in the LGBTQ community and believes in the importance of self-expression and documenting marginalized histories, this source would support their position. If the reader has a different perspective or questions the effectiveness of zines as a medium, they may challenge the author's argument.

6. The intended audience appears to be a general audience interested in LGBTQ culture, zines, and creative expressions. The purpose of the author is to inform and advocate for the significance of zines in the LGBTQ community, emphasizing their role in self-care, storytelling, and community building.

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Zines are central to our community's survival.

Photo by MCA Zine Fair

This past weekend, I had the pleasure to attend the New York Queer Zine Fest, held at the LGBTQ Center. For two days, three of the center's rooms were filled with zine creators from all over the country selling a variety of zines. And the energy and excitement created from interacting with the creators made me think about how important these spaces are. But often, we forget the role that zines play in giving space to the LGBTQ community, especially, to document our history, express ourselves, and create art that matters to us in ways that aren't restricted by industry rules.

Zines are small-circulated publications, usually self-published, and can include original, appropriated work, or a mixture of both. There aren't rules as far as what topics can be explored in zines or what structures that they have to follow. But beyond the creative freedom that they provide for creators and readers, zines are also important as they carry a particular part of documenting queer history with them. In their creation and continued use, zines remain an important part of queer culture.

As early as the 1980s, zines have been a key part of upholding queer history. Off-shooting from the punk movement, queercore focused on creativity such as music, writing, art, and culminating them into zines. The Queer Zine Archive Project, created by Milo Miller and Christopher Wilde, focused on maintaining a recorded history of zines and their role in the LGBTQ+ community. Today, community members from all walks of life continue on the tradition, creating zines that focus on a variety of topics from sexuality, politics, mental health, love, grief, and more.

The energy behind creating a zine is a labor of love. The idea of creating long-form art professionally-whether it's through art like painting or sculpting, or writing novels or journalism-is intimidating to a lot of people. So much of these professional industries still gate-keep and leave out those of us who cannot afford or conform exactly to the expectations of what a "creative" looks like.

But because of that, there is a thriving community of people who are embracing zines.

What's so great about zines is that they are an accessible alternative for those in the community looking for other options to get their work out there. Zines can be inexpensive to make (compared to the cost need to create, say, comics or novels where prices can fluctuate depending on availability to materials, working with publishers, use of color, and other factors). Like poetry, zines can be made by anyone-no special qualifications needed. And since they're so important to the queer storytelling tradition, being able to contribute to that is something that we don't celebrate enough within the queer community.

One zine creator, Alex J., explains how zines help to bring her stories to the forefront: "It gives me the freedom and space to express fully who I am in the ways I want to express them. The physical and intellectual labor of creating zines helps me actualize my identity by quite literally constructing a literary product of myself."

Went to a Queer Zine Fest in NYC yesterday with @cammicam3 and it was a blessing. Not only was I able to meet and talk with so many beautiful queer and trans creatives but I was able to see the new literature that is being created in the form of art I enjoy most to read and create, zines! I am currently reading Shaquille Smith's, Feeling Feministic, a zine memoir and letter to his late mother about life, death, queerness, femininity and drag and the friction it creates with religion and childhood. The first page of writing struck me right in the heart, and almost screamed to me, and I knew that I needed to take it home with my spirit. And am I so happy I did. I have since cried twice while reading it and have felt my heart expand in love and light for you, your art, and your truth, Shaquille. Thank you for sharing yourself and your intimate conversations with your mother with us. I see you. I appreciate you. I love you. I would highly recommend checking out the zine fest today (I think it ends at 5?). It's free to attend and the address is at 208 13th street. Much love folks 🌻I
A post shared by Alex Jasienowski (@ajazz22) on

Thinking about the necessity of creating zines and other forms of art is important now more than ever. Marginalized communities often lack access to creative outlets and spaces where they can healthily express themselves. But zines allow for this, in giving its creators both an escape and platform to explore a variety of topics. Whether you want to write a personal essay about love, an experiment using mixed media, or document your feelings dealing with current events, zines help to create a space for that. And that's why they're so important to our history and commitment to self-care.

No matter what, the need to create art and express ourselves freely-especially in the face of violence-is something that remains intertwined to the survival of marginalized communities. Zines provide that, and so much more, for those who create them and read them. As so many struggles to find their voices and tell stories that may go beyond what's seen in the mainstream narrative, zines can create a new platform to continue to the tradition of storytelling and cultivating community. It's important that we continue to preserve and celebrate these traditions, as they remain central to our community's survival.

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A Labor Of Love: Why Zines Will Always Be An Important Part Of Queer Culture | GO Magazine

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Zines are central to our community's survival. This past weekend, I had the pleasure to attend the New York Queer Zine Fest, held at the LGBTQ Center. For two days, three of the center's rooms were filled with zine creators from all over the country selling a variety of zines.

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1. The text highlights the importance of multicultural competence in art therapy, expanding the definition of multicultural to include gender identity and sexual orientation. It discusses the limited literature on how art therapy benefits sexual minority youth and alliance organizations. The text aims to raise multicultural awareness and inform a pilot study on zine making as a creative needs assessment for LGBTQ youth.

2. The argument presented in the text is persuasive in emphasizing the need for multicultural competence in art therapy and the potential benefits of integrating art therapy and social action for LGBTQ youth. The focus on participatory action research and the involvement of alliance organizations adds credibility to the argument.

3. The text supports its claims by referring to the limited literature on art therapy for sexual minority youth, the higher risks faced by LGBTQ youth, and the enthusiasm of local LGBTQ youth alliance organizations for alternative needs assessments. It does not provide specific citations or links to external sources.

4. The text provides context on the importance of multicultural competence in art therapy and the current gaps in literature regarding art therapy for LGBTQ youth. It mentions the intention to conduct a pilot study and the potential of integrating art therapy and social action. However, the source does not provide a comprehensive review of existing literature or a detailed analysis of previous research.

5. If the reader values the importance of multicultural competence and inclusivity in art therapy, as well as the potential benefits of integrating art therapy and social action for LGBTQ youth, this source would support their perspective. If the reader questions the effectiveness or relevance of art therapy for LGBTQ youth, they may challenge the assumptions made in the text.

6. The intended audience appears to be professionals in the field of art therapy, particularly those interested in multicultural competence and working with LGBTQ youth. The purpose of the text is to raise awareness, inform a pilot study, and provide information to LGBTQ alliance organizations and helping professionals. The language and content are tailored towards an audience familiar with art therapy and interested in LGBTQ issues in therapy.

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Zine Making as a Creative Needs Assessment in Participatory Action Research with LGBTQ Youth

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Multicultural competence is an important component of effective art therapy. Today, the term multicultural no longer refers only to race and ethnicity but also to gender identity and sexua orientation. Presently only a small amount of professional art therapy literature has been published regarding how art therapy may benefit sexual minority youth and alliance organizations.

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1. The author argues that zines, as a self-published and uncensored form of media, provide an outlet for marginalized individuals, particularly LGBTQ students, to explore their interests and identities through writing.

2. The persuasiveness of the argument depends on the reader's perspective, but the author supports their position by highlighting the limitations of mainstream media in representing diverse experiences and the benefits of zines in promoting self-expression, critical media literacy, and connection with others. The text does not provide specific citations or links to external sources.

3. The author's stance is supportive of using zines as a teaching tool to empower marginalized students and encourage self-expression. The content and language reveal a particular bias in favor of zines as a means of amplifying voices that are often overlooked or underrepresented. The author acknowledges the need for a safe classroom environment and the potential challenges of using uncensored media.

4. The text discusses previous works and articles that have explored the use of zines in the composition classroom, providing some background and context. It emphasizes the value of zines as an alternative form of media and expression, particularly for individuals who feel invisible or marginalized. The source does not appear to leave out any significant information or perspectives.

5. If the reader values the importance of providing alternative media and platforms for marginalized students to express themselves and explore their identities, this source would support their position. If the reader has reservations about using uncensored media in the classroom or questions the effectiveness of zines as a teaching tool, they may challenge the author's argument.

6. The intended audience appears to be educators, particularly those in composition and writing instruction. The purpose of the author is to advocate for the use of zines in the classroom as a means of promoting self-expression, connecting with marginalized students, and challenging traditional media models. The language and content are tailored towards a specific subset of the general audience interested in pedagogy and alternative forms of media.

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1. The author presents arguments about the power of zines as a medium for personal expression, political education, and documentation of marginalized communities, emphasizing their role in counterculture movements and their ability to challenge mainstream narratives.

2. The persuasiveness of the argument depends on individual interpretation. The author provides examples of how zines have been used to share stories, communicate vital information, and uplift marginalized communities. The inclusion of personal experiences and quotes from zinesters adds credibility, but there are no explicit citations or links provided.

3. The author's stance is supportive of zines as a powerful tool for marginalized communities to tell their own stories and challenge dominant narratives. While the author's bias leans towards the positive aspects of zines, they acknowledge the importance of considering opposing views.

4. The source highlights the historical significance of zines in LGBTQ+ communities and their role in addressing social issues, which aligns with information found in other sources.

5. The source supports the idea that zines have been an important platform for marginalized communities to express themselves and address social issues. It challenges traditional narratives and offers perspectives that may need to be acknowledged or considered in a thorough examination of the topic.

6. The intended audience appears to be a general audience with an interest in zine culture, personal expression, and marginalized communities. The purpose of the author is to inform and advocate for the power of zines in storytelling, activism, and community building.

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When Dkéama Alexis and Ariana Steele wanted to create a space specifically for Black queer and trans people in central Ohio, they began with a simple but powerful medium: a zine. Named after a "very protective stone," "Obsidian" was the first title released by the Black Queer and Intersectional Collective (BQIC) in 2017, Alexis said.

For their project's namesake, "we chose these black stones to emphasize the preciousness of Blackness, as well as bringing an additional element of our people needing healing and protection," Alexis said.

Somewhere at the intersection of the academic essay, a diary entry, a self-portrait and a notebook doodle exists the zine - a DIY publication usually made without financial profit in mind. This genre of personal expression has long been a powerful tool of political education, an outlet for those whose stories and images have been buried, distorted and regulated by those in power.

Zinesters create out of a desire to share their art and experiences with each other. Although they have existed for nearly a century, zines are best known for their roots in punk and DIY underground subcultures. And among counterculture movements and marginalized communities - without the restraints of gatekeepers - zines can be their own authentic and unaltered statement of self.

To become a budding zinester, all you need is scissors and paper, something to write, draw or type with, and something to express. Creation in hand, you head to a local print shop or library to make copies. Lastly, you decide how you want to distribute it - attend a local zine fair, post online, hand copies out to friends or keep it for yourself.

Among queer communities, zines can be a form a documentation, a capturing of U.S. history that may not appear in textbooks. For their zine, the two BQIC founders collected visual art and poems from seven black queer and trans artists in Columbus. The result is a snapshot of these lives: the love, pride, fear, strength and beauty. To Alexis, being entrusted to share such vulnerable narratives felt invigorating.

Zines are a way to "reflect each other's pains and triumphs back at each other," Alexis said. "It is very restorative and regenerative."

One week after the "Obsidian" release party, police pepper sprayed and arrested four Black queer activists at the city's Pride parade. The aftermath of the incident led BQIC to create the first-ever "Community Pride" events to center the voices of Black and brown queer and trans people, which included a new, separate zine called "Onyx."

On page 4 of "Onyx," BQIC's second zine that was released in 2018, all-caps text says that "ordinary people can make extraordinary things under the right pressure."

To Alexis and Steele, who said they had confronted transphobia, homophobia and racism among various local activist communities, making a zine wasn't just about self-expression, but felt essential as a tool for organizing for and with Black queer, trans and nonbinary people. It became a "very powerful avenue for learning and teaching," Alexis said.

"There's a really certain type of story that gets told in [the] media and it takes a lot to go around that if you don't have access, prestige, if you're not the 'right' skin color, if you don't have the 'right' economic background," said Milo Miller, co-founder of the Queer Zine Archive Project. "And zines take all of that and say, 'To hell with that.'"

Founded in 2003, Miller and Christopher Wide's archive project grew from their personal collection of 25 zines to over 2,500 made by LGBTQ folks spanning five decades.

"They're just human stories," Miller said. "They are people falling in love, they are people having sex, there are people doing drugs, they are people who are politically involved, they are people who are politically not at all involved."

Miller, who uses the pronoun they, published their first zine in 1992, nearly a decade into the HIV/AIDS epidemic. To them, it was a platform to freely share sex education information (like how to put on a condom) with queer teens, for whom there were not a lot of resources. During the early years of the crisis, when government and news organizations were largely silent, zine-making in the LGBTQ community had become more vital than ever, communicating and documenting queer stories of living with and dying from the virus.

"When you're being ignored and your health concerns are being ignored, the only people that you have to turn to are each other, and - from an information-sharing standpoint - zines certainly played a huge part in that," Miller said.

For future generations, Miller believes that zines created in 2020 will provide a similar window into the lives of LGBTQ people disproportionately affected by both the coronavirus pandemic and systemic discrimination.

"Because it's in print and because you control it, there is a good chance that those stories and those zines will be preserved," Miller said.

According to Hunter Shackelford, a Black, nonbinary writer and artist who uses the pronouns "she" and "they" interchangably, zines continue age-old traditions of storytelling meant to uplift a community, a means of survival for marginalized groups. That is why, even with the internet and social media, zines are still here, providing a unique platform for art and activism, and everything in between.

Fat politics, the construct of gender, and black trans futurism are a few of the subjects Shackelford has covered.

Their latest zine, "Before They Kill Me First," highlights the death and violence experienced by Black trans people at the hands of Black cis men. It's a conversation they feels is overlooked within the Black community, and, to prevent it from becoming a narrative used to further stereotypes and anti-Blackness, one that Shackelford says Black people should have with each other.

At least 21 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been killed by violence so far in 2020, according to Human Rights Campaign. In response to some of those deaths - of Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells, Riah Milton, Nina Pop and Tony McDade - tens of thousands rallied in Black Trans Lives Matter protests across U.S. cities, and resources on supporting Black trans lives inundated social media. To Shackelford, while such awareness-raising events are positive at the surface level, the way these stories are framed can become a violence of its own.

The trans community can "become obsessed with trauma because we realize it's the only thing that other people can hear," Shackelford said, noting that focus limits "the joy that we share out loud."

For Shackelford, zines created by trans people for each other often aim to balance both trauma survival but also that joy.

"I want to impact people deeply with storytelling, I want them to feel the story moving through their blood, through their bones when they read it," they said. "What I hope from the zines is that I can again add to Black trans histories and also keep building Black trans futures."

Bay Area zinester Jackson Stoner released his latest zine, "Gender Euphoria," amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It's the eighth issue in his recurring series "Transvestia," which was named for Transvestia magazine, created by Virginia Prince in the 1960s to provide education and representation on gender fluidity. In Stoner's work, the art and text inside call out dominant cultural narratives that commodify trans pain and think of trans people only as an "other."

Stoner, who uses the pronouns "ze" and "he" interchangeably, said that the prevailing media make "trans people's lives seem like it's fraught with only violence and sadness and dysphoria, and focus everything on medical transitioning and surgeries and looking as cis as possible." To him, the solution is not to avoid the real stories of violence or trauma, but to imbue them with "a holistic view of that person's life."

As Miller put it, "We have a sense of history, whether it's the U.S. history or world history or LGBT history, that is made up of permitted documentation," such as newspapers or birth certificates. But zines "tell the stories that don't necessarily end up in the history books and in the classrooms, but are no less valid."

Stoner's zines focus on the intersections of many different identities, including life with a disability, religion, gender and sexuality, in the hopes of creating a shared sense of community and understanding.

In the zine "labels," Stoner writes how categories such as gender pronouns and sexual orientations can both draw people together - "there is family and understanding in connection in our labels" - but also be too restrictive.

"When we choose not to use labels for ourselves," the zine reads, "we are giving ourselves the power and freedom to explore and find new meanings."

For "labels," Stoner decorated the zine with stamps and stickers - turtles, frogs, a sloth that's saying "Don't care" - to bring his personal touch of joy to each reader.

A zine is a wealth of possibilities to Stoner and the others: "You can make any content you want," he said.
MORE: How two poets are nurturing support networks disrupted by the pandemic Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Jackson Stoner is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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In zines, LGBTQ creators find a place to tell their own stories

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When Dkéama Alexis and Ariana Steele wanted to create a space specifically for Black queer and trans people in central Ohio, they began with a simple but powerful medium: a zine. Named after a "very protective stone," "Obsidian" was the first title released by the Black Queer and Intersectional Collective (BQIC) in 2017, Alexis said.

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https://www.lgbtculturalheritage.com/zines

1. The author presents arguments highlighting the significance of zines as a powerful tool for personal expression, political education, and documentation within marginalized communities, emphasizing their ability to challenge mainstream narratives and amplify marginalized voices.

2. The persuasiveness of the argument depends on the reader's perspective, but the author provides examples, personal experiences, and quotes from individuals involved in zine-making to support the claims. The evidence includes firsthand accounts, the history of zine movements, and the impact of zines on marginalized communities. The lack of specific citations or links in the text may raise questions about the credibility of the information presented.

3. The author's stance leans towards the value and importance of zines as a means of empowerment, amplification, and community-building for marginalized groups. While the language used may indicate a certain bias in favor of zines, the author acknowledges the existence of opposing views and challenges to mainstream narratives.

4. The source explores the history and impact of zines, focusing on their role in marginalized communities and counterculture movements. It provides personal stories and perspectives that may not be widely covered in mainstream sources, potentially offering unique insights and perspectives.

5. This source supports the significance of zines as a tool for empowerment and amplification of marginalized voices, which could align with a thesis exploring the importance of alternative forms of expression and community-building. It may challenge conventional narratives and provide alternative viewpoints that need to be considered and evaluated.

6. The intended audience appears to be individuals interested in zine culture, activism, and marginalized communities. The purpose of the text is to inform and highlight the historical and contemporary significance of zines as a means of personal expression, political education, and community organizing.

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Short for 'magazine', zines are created and self-published by an individual or a group people. Zines aren't for profit; zines are vehicles to make art, to engage with your community or subculture, and to elevate voices that otherwise don't get heard. They allow people to connect, to ask questions, to stay up to date on events, or to spread awareness of issues. For this reason, zines have been particularly popular in feminist, punk, and queer circles that are generally anti-establishment or anti-capitalist. Sara Century believes that political pamphlets - from as far back as the 1700s - and sci-fi fanzines are the spiritual ancestors of modern zines. She points out that "the PoC Zine Project cites infamous literary magazine Fire!! - founded by Langston Hughes and Richard Nugent - as a potent example of an early zine".

"Zines run the gamut in both quality and subject matter, but they all share a common and salient thread - they speak for their time, they are unedited, they are personal, and they deal with things you would never read about in major publications, from the personal to the political and beyond. "

- Sara Century, writing for The Establishment

Joey Gray, creator of Hardy, emphasized that "queer zines during the 1980s and 1990s were so much more than just queer creative content...they were acts of protest, of activism, of preservation and communication". During the 80s, this means that "at the height of the AIDS epidemic, when the U.S. government wouldn't so much as publicly acknowledge the crisis, queer people made zines, they spread information, they provided resources for each other, and they told their stories." Today, zines like S.Kills, created by Lisa J. in Vienna, Austria, carry on this tradition by spread awareness of issues such as consent.

Zines allow us to tell our own stories, by and for each other, while creating real, tangible things that prove that we were here, that we had full rich lives and a community to share them with. Of Hardy, Gray writes that it is "a platform with which I'm able to create and share space with my broader LGBTQ community and, as a result, provide physical evidence of queer perseverance. We stand up. We fight back. We resist. We do it together. We are family."

Zines have been and are being produced across the world, but preservation - let alone digitization - can be a roadblock to uncovering all sorts of aspects of our heritage. While undertaking our research, for example, we found Australian zines to be particularly elusive. Many references were made to important zines such as Queer Zine and The Daily Plague, but no issues are easily accessible online. Florent Routoulp wrote that The Daily Plague was "an Australian fanzine that wrote about AIDS and how to live with it...I don't really feel like adding any commentary to their manifesto, which was "To badly go where no publication has gone before in providing/stealing information, humor, and humanity about the Great Adventure, aka HIV," because I think it speaks for itself." Such zines document moments in our history that are vital to learn about. This is why projects such as the Queer Zine Archive Project are invaluable. The archive was instrumental to our research, and is highly recommended for a delve into our cultural heritage.

Below are some of our favourite prolific LGBT+ zines, but if you have a favourite - or if you make one! - send us a link!

According to Erica Davies at Out History, Vice Versa was North America's first lesbian zine. "Lisa Ben" - an anagram of "lesbian" - covertly created and published Vice Versa in Los Angeles beginning in 1947, using equipment at RKO studios where she was a secretary. Davies describes the zine as "a forerunner for gay American publications, providing a more wide-ranging audience with upbeat short stories, editorials, book reviews, and a letter column to entertain and inspire readers to perpetuate the existence of gay editorials and preserve the pleasure of their lifestyle." Only nine issues with a handful of copies each were ever produced, but each copy was read and passed along to other gay women. Edythe Eyde - aka"Lisa Ben"- remained active in the lesbian community throughout her life, joining the Daughters of Bilitis in the 1950s, but her legacy truly stems from Vice Versa. Many lesbian magazines, zines, and newsletters have been published in its wake, including "The Ladder" and "Lesbian Connection", and Malinda Lo at After Ellen proclaims that even "sites like AfterEllen.com are simply high-tech extensions of those carbon-copied issues of Vice Versa that Lisa Ben used to pass out at the local lesbian bar."

It is difficult to express how ahead of its time Vice Versa truly was, or the influence it has had on LGBT+ publications since. Rodger Streitmatter has written extensively on LGBT+ media in the United States, and according to his 1998 article, Vice Versa published short stories depicting a lesbian wedding, while Eyde herself maintained that there would be a time in the future - though in 1947, it would be difficult to predict exactly when - gay people would be accepted in society. Streitmatter asserts that the format of Vice Versa provided the blueprint for the gay magazines that followed. He writes that "[Ben's] written words did...express hope about the future of gay Americans - and, subsequently, the nascent genre of periodicals that she founded. In a prophetic editorial, Ben wrote: "Perhaps VICE VERSA might be the forerunner of better magazines dedicated to the Third Sex which, in some future time, might take their rightful place on the news stands beside other publications, to be available openly and without restriction.""

You can read more about the influence of Vice Versa in Streitmatter's book " Unspeakable: The Rise of the Gay and Lesbian Press in America", listen to Edythe Eyde talk about her work and life on Making Gay History's podcast, and read the issues of Vice Versa on Queer Music Heritage's website.

Kraximo was published in 1980s Greece by Paola Revenioti, a trans artist, former sex worker, and activist. Revenioti is somewhat of an iconic figure in LGBT+ history, and her adventures include running a pirate radio and organizing the first pride in Athens in the 90s. According to an interview with Revenioti, "the zine pioneered the fight for gay and trans rights, combining interviews with Greek poets and intellectuals alongside Athens street hustlers and her own photography".

"I started my magazine Kraximo because there was a need for another voice to be heard. They were tough times: the police would arrest transvestites for fun. When it's illegal to be yourself, you have no option but to fight back. I published police brutality reports - remember there was no internet then. In slang, Kraximo translates as 'gaybashing'. Those were conservative times. People would scream names like 'whore', 'scum', 'antichrist'... I wanted to guide people afraid of their sexuality and values, create something fresh and revolutionary. I gathered articles, paid friends to write or translate, spent hours creating the layout, blackening my fingers, copying and cutting. I remember one issue sold out in a single day. It was like an action movie, getting unique interviews with intellectuals and combining them with artists and photographs I took of boys around Greece. "

- Paola Revenioti, Dazed Magazine

Kraximo had a profound influence on the LGBT+ community in Greece and abroad. Of her time running Kraximo, Revenioti says: "I never thought I was documenting my city, I was living my city, wildly."

You can read interviews about Kraximo at Dazed and Vice.

Published in Appalachian region of the USA, Electric Dirt i s "a celebration of queer voices and identities from Appalachia and the South". Their vision for the zine truly embodies the philosophies behind zines:

"With under-documented cultures and communities, there is often a gatekeeper. An archivist, sociologist, anthropologist, or historian decides who and what is documented and who or what is omitted from history. Someone with access to higher education and resources that many folks, especially in our impoverished region, do not have. That does not happen with Electric Dirt. We rely heavily on submissions. The underrepresented and misrepresented get to represent themselves. We get to define Queer Appalachia and the Queer South with our own images and truths. By embracing a combination of contemporary technology and social media, we are in a constant state of documenting our culture, community, lives and history/herstory. Electric Dirt is a place for us to share those truths and find each other. We survive and even thrive through sharing tales of wildcrafting our queerness, foraging for pieces of ourselves within the intersections of coal mines and class, race and religion, food justice and colonialism."

- Queer Appalachia

Some more zines to check out:

Barra Magazine, from Beirut, Lebanon;

Un Bruit de Grelot, from Lille, France;

LESBO, from Ljubljana,Slovenia, which was allegedly replaced by Narobe;

Shotgun Seamstress, from the U.S.A.;

S omos, from Buenos Aires, Argentina;

Freaky Queer, from Cardiff, Wales;

Mouthfeel, from NYC, U.S.A.;

and Straight to Hell, which deserves a special mention: it was first published in the U.S.A. in 1973 and is still going today.

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Short for 'magazine', zines are created and self-published by an individual or a group people. Zines aren't for profit; zines are vehicles to make art, to engage with your community or subculture, and to elevate voices that otherwise don't get heard.

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https://studybreaks.com/culture/the-resurgence-of-zine-culture-and-why-its-so-important/

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Millennials are pushing deeper into zine culture, developing pamphlets promoting social justice, relevant movements and even just art and poetry.

Praise the Zine

Millennials are pushing deeper into zine culture, developing pamphlets promoting social justice, relevant movements and even just art and poetry.

By Kristian Porter, Northern Kentucky University

In a society built on profit, deadlines and marketability, art and writing can start to feel stifled and contained.

Censorship runs rampant in the media, and some people can start to feel hopeless in their efforts to share their creativity with the world. Enter zines, the creative outlet that advertises complete freedom.

I learned about zines a few months ago in a YouTube video by Ariel Bisset, and since then, I've started seeing mentions of them everywhere. In order to satisfy my curiosity, I decided to do a little research of my own, and now I've fallen in love.

Zines are reflective of the culture they are born in and are important, now more than ever.

So, What Are Zines?

According to the Zinewiki, a zine is an independently published booklet, usually created by only one person (though that's not always the case). They aren't made for a large audience like a traditional magazine; instead, only a select number are printed and circulated, because they often deal with controversial or niche subjects. Zines are completely self-funded and are usually only sold to make up for the cost of production, often leaving the creators at a deficit.

But it's not about the money, it's about the message. Zines are made because someone has something they need to say, and they don't have a platform to speak on any other way. The great thing about these self-published magazines is that anyone can create them.

How Did It All Begin?

The word zine is derived from fanzine, a publication distributed amongst a particular fandom, which trace all the way back to Science Fiction publications in the 1920s. Zines evolved out of their nicheness, and since then have become associated with protests, movements and minority voices.

The punk scene in the '70s is usually attributed to the rise in zine culture, as they were used to promote bands that didn't receive a lot of mainstream attention. The name "punk" is actually the result of the first known zine by Legs McNeil, "Punk," which covered the New York arts and music scene in 1975.

Then, in the 1980s, the concept of zines as an art form was solidified when Mike Gunderloy created " Factsheet Five." He catalogued and reviewed every zine that was sent to them, creating a network for creators.

The feminist movement, particularly Third-Wave Feminism, has strong ties to zine culture. The riot grrrl movement used zines to publish content that otherwise would not have been seen. They discussed sexuality and body image, as well as sexual violence, assault and abuse. The zines focused on personal experiences, not shying away from or censoring the gritty details. Erika Rienstien, founder of Riot Grrrl Press, said, "Because every time we pick up a pen, or an instrument, or get anything done, we are creating the revolution. We are the revolution."

Zines were instruments of protest and change, and they continue to be.

Many people thought that, with the creation of the internet, zines would meet their end, but in the last decade, zines have seen a resurgence in interest.

Why Do They Matter?

In a time of such political tension and untrustworthy news sources, zines are more important than ever. Those whose voices are often overshadowed-minorities, LGBT, women-need to have an outlet where they can still reliably be heard. When someone like Donald Trump calls for a dynasty like "Saturday Night Live" to be censored because he doesn't like the parody of him, it can create an environment of fear.

But, as Rookie Magazine said, "Zine-making isn't about rules or knowledge; it's about freedom and power."

Zines are an exercise in your freedom of speech, in your fundamental right to be heard.

Whether you're a Nasty Woman looking for a place to submit, or a person of color looking to publish, there are zines looking to be your platform.

And zines can be anything-a collection of poetry, artwork, photographs, a bunch of magazine clipping or a combination of all of the above. There is no limit to what you can create, and no one to tell you that you can't.

On top of that, zines are an incredible testament to the longevity of print as a journalistic medium. Yes, many zines have found themselves a home online, as either a full-fledged website or a scanned copy of the physical product. It's an easy way to reach an audience you never could have had before.

However, many zines are still made the old fashioned way: some paper, art supplies and a photocopier. They are printed and distributed to close-knit groups or at rallies or meetings. Physical copies are passed around and a conversation is started and, by word of mouth, a movement is spread.

As someone who has a love for language and literature, it's beautiful to watch words and artwork inspire and affect so many people.

How Can You Get Involved?

If you've found yourself itching for your voice to be heard, there are plenty of places looking to publish you. But, like I said before, zines are so great because they can be made by literally anyone. If you can't find the exact publication you're looking for, or you just want to make something that is wholly your own, put together a zine yourself!

It's as simple as folding some paper and letting your creativity flourish. Splatter paint on it, write words haphazardly across the page, photograph everything. You can write about cats or "Doctor Who" or the ways media is suppressing black voices. There are no rules and no limits.

And when you're done, share it with someone. It can be your friends, your family, your book club or strangers on the internet. Whomever it may be, let them hear what you have to say. Then, inspire them to participate in the zine culture as well. The more voices that are heard, the more people will be able to understand another's experiences and the better society will be.

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Kristian Porter, Northern Kentucky University

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The Resurgence of Zine Culture and Why It's So Important

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Millennials are pushing deeper into zine culture, developing pamphlets promoting social justice, relevant movements and even just art and poetry. By Kristian Porter, Northern Kentucky University In a society built on profit, deadlines and marketability, art and writing can start to feel stifled and contained.

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https://whatsnewinpublishing.com/zines-what-are-they-why-are-they-important-and-how-do-you-create-one/

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What's New in Publishing | Digital Publishing News

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The term "zine" is hard to define. The more I have learned about them, the more I believe that is part of their charm. Zines have drifted in and out of public consciousness over the last fifty years or so, and are now often dismissed as frivolous, pretentious, or irrelevant. I have, however, come to believe that the humble zine can be a force for good in this topsy-turvy world of ours. As vessels for activism, free speech, meaningful narratives, and good old-fashioned creativity-zines have the potential to affect the hearts and minds of both the creator and the reader. This summer, I intend to create my own, but there is a lot to learn and consider before then.

A pile of zines from the UK and the US

What on earth is a zine?

The two defining factors of a zine are normally said to be small print-runs, and self-publishing methods. These two elements often facilitate a third common element which is an unconventional, niche, or otherwise controversial subject matter. Without the screening of traditional publishing houses, and, importantly, without a need or desire to be profitable, zine creators can say whatever they want-conventions be damned. In the 70s and 80s, punks took over the zine scene and countless DIY publications were produced on punk music, punk art, and punk thought. This movement created a long-standing tradition of zines as an outlet for misfits and oddballs. But, of course, the beauty is that they can be about anything-whatever you are passionate about, set it down and tell the world.

Zines have gone out of fashion somewhat since the early 2000s-there are easier ways to shout about your opinions these days. But, as we have seen time and time again, the internet is a hotbed of fleeting opinions, fake news, and bullying that simply wouldn't happen offline. To set your thoughts down on paper forces you to reckon with them, decide how you really feel and what side of yourself you want to present to the public.

A 2009 study by Bangor University showed that physical print material is more "real" to the brain-it has a meaning and a place and engages spatial memory networks, connecting information to memory more effectively than on screen. They also discovered that physical material involves more emotional processing and produces more brain responses connected with internal feelings-suggesting increased internalisation of ideas consumed through print as opposed to online. Pretty much, if you want to convince someone of something, one tweet in a sea of misguided opinions might not make much difference-setting it in print may affect someone more profoundly than you think.

What should your zine be about?

The short answer is-whatever you want it to be about.

The first zines can be dated back to the 1930s with the very first one often cited to be a publication called The Comet, created by the Chicago Science Correspondent Club. The Comet started a long tradition of sci-fi zines, or "fanzines" (which is where we get the term "zine"). In the 60s, some sci-fi fans realized that they shared an interest in rock music, and rock review zines started to emerge. This evolved into the punk zine scene of the 70s and 80s, and then into the riot grrrl scene of the 90s-a response to the male-dominated punk movement.

A copy of The Comet zine from 1940.

In recent days I have seen all manner of topics recorded in zine form. Publications on plants and insects are, anecdotally, extremely popular. As is art, feminism, food, social theory, and personal journaling. Photography and poetry zines are also common.

I'm personally still floating around a few ideas for my own, and I'm going to let you into the deep, dark recesses of my phone notes, all in the name of education. My list currently reads:

Like sick sad world but it's a zine

Eating the seasons-four-part series of recipes, etc.

Callous: a zine on working with your hands

Skiptix: pissed, pished, and skeptical

NewDissident

Tonight on Sick Sad World... The iconic fake TV show from the real TV show Daria.

The point is that you can write about whatever you want. Or don't write about it-take photos of it, or illustrate it, or scrapbook it. Just do it on something you care about.

How is a zine made?

Now you know what a zine is, and you're thinking about your subject matter-what makes you tick, what you're passionate about, what you want to teach or show the world. So, how do you make one? There is, of course, InDesign. A desire to improve my InDesign skills is partly what motivated me to learn about zine creation. Although, it's hardly the most accessible software-prices start around £20 a month for use of InDesign alone. This kind of expense isn't really compatible with the DIY, not-for-profit ethos of zine creation. If you're a student, like myself, you may find that your uni library offers the application. I suggest making use of this while you can-this kind of professional software isn't easy to acquire for the average hobbyist.

But fret not as there are plenty of alternative methods. Back in the days before everyone had a computer, zines were commonly produced by hand-either written and illustrated with a pen, or collaged by cutting out words and images and sticking them on the page-and then mass-produced using a photocopier. This old school method is still entirely viable and a really cool way to get hands-on with your content and bypass the need for screens entirely.

If you prefer the more polished look that specialized software can give you, then there are a few free alternatives to InDesign out there. The most well-known and indeed the most comprehensive is Scribus -an open-source, free to use desktop publisher. Its downside is that it's not quite as intuitive as the already unintuitive InDesign, but hey, when we're paying £0 who are we to complain?

Then what?

Once you've decided on your subject matter; designed your zine; printed it, photocopied it, or drawn all 50 copies by hand, then what do you do with them? Distribution is an issue for just about all magazine publishers, even the huge ones. It's one thing to make an incredible publication, but if you want to leave your mark on the world, you need to get it out there. There are multiple ways of doing this and which option you choose will depend on why you decided to create a zine in the first place.

If you want to make money from your publication there are plenty of online and physical marketplaces equipped for zine sales. Etsy seems to be the go-to for online zine flogging-they have a huge Magazines & Zines section and it's very simple to set up your own shop. Or there are initiatives such as Zineswap, which started as a service allowing you to swap zines with other creators and has recently expanded to offer a marketplace for buying and selling. Also, keep an eye out for zine fairs in your area-pre-pandemic they were a surprisingly common occurrence and I'm sure they'll be starting up again soon (at least in the UK). Or there's always the gutsy option of just walking into a local independent bookshop and asking them if they want to stock your zine. You never know what might come of it.

If you are creating your zine purely as a passion project and you're not concerned about profit, then you can consider guerrilla distribution. Leave a stack of your zines at the pub, at a café, or stick them in between the books at a bookshop. Of course, you might want to ask first so that your work doesn't just get binned at the end of the night. I personally love when I come across any kind of free publication, or newsletter, or even just a nicely designed leaflet. Those leaflet stands you get at bus stations and shopping centres have fascinated me since I was a very young child (judge me all you want!). There is a definite joy in coming across an object which contains knowledge yet unknown and being able to take it away with you.

If you're in Edinburgh, it's also worth checking out the Edinburgh Zine Library. Housed in the Art and Design department at the Central Library, they have filing cabinets full of zines from all over the world. This can simply be great inspiration and research, but if you want, you can donate a copy of your own zine for their archives.

Zine making workshop at the Edinburgh Zine Library

What are you waiting for?

Maybe reading this has got you thinking about the issues that matter to you. Whether it's music or knitting, outer-space or politics, poetry or architecture-write it down, take a photo of it, draw a picture, write a comic strip, make a collage, create an image . . . it can look however you want it to look and say whatever you want it to say. The process is one of freedom and expression. Make something you'd want to read, and let other people in.

by Eilidh Sawyers
Eilidh Sawyers is a Publishing (MSc) student and aspiring magazine editor with a passion for food, crafting, and print. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Zines: What are they? Why are they important? And how do you create one? | What's New in Publishing | Digital Publishing News

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The term "zine" is hard to define. The more I have learned about them, the more I believe that is part of their charm. Zines have drifted in and out of public consciousness over the last fifty years or so, and are now often dismissed as frivolous, pretentious, or irrelevant.

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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12109-017-9533-4

1. The text argues that the conglomeration of the book publishing industry has led to a focus on mainstream, commercial bestsellers, leaving niche topics and non-mainstream authors overlooked. It highlights the importance of alternative media, such as zines, in providing a platform for diverse voices and democratic communication.

2. The persuasiveness of the argument depends on the reader's perspective. The author supports their position by discussing the limitations of the mainstream publishing industry, the benefits of alternative media in promoting diversity and inclusion, and the democratizing effect of participatory culture.

3. The author takes a critical stance toward the conglomeration of the publishing industry and emphasizes the value of alternative media in challenging mainstream discourse and amplifying underrepresented voices. The text does not provide specific citations or links to external sources.

4. The text provides historical context on the conglomeration of the publishing industry and the rise of alternative media. It discusses the democratizing effect of participatory culture and the role of alternative media in challenging dominant narratives. The source does not appear to leave out any significant information or perspectives.

5. If the reader values the importance of diverse voices and alternative forms of media in challenging mainstream discourse and promoting inclusivity, this source would support their position. If the reader has reservations about the impact of conglomerated publishing or questions the effectiveness of alternative media, they may challenge the author's argument.

6. The intended audience appears to be researchers, scholars, or individuals interested in the publishing industry, alternative media, and the democratizing effects of participatory culture. The purpose of the author is to analyze the role of zines and alternative media, specifically in relation to people of color (POC) zinesters, and examine their potential lessons for mainstream publishers. The language and content are tailored towards an audience interested in media studies and alternative publishing.

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https://you.stonybrook.edu/zines/zines-provide-protection-for-minority-opinions-and-groups/

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The in-print, private and small distribution nature of zines provides the reader with safety that may not exist in online spaces. The internet and platforms like Facebook have allowed anyone to potentially reach a global audience. Is this broad reach always needed or beneficial? For many groups of people, the internet can be a hostile place, for example, one study has demonstrated that women in online chatrooms are more than 25 times more likely to get threatening and sexually inappropriate messages (Blake 33). When one posts online, they often have very little control over where it goes. An Instagram post can be screenshotted and reposted infinitely. People who hide behind the anonymity of the internet can provide hostile comments with little fear of consequence or concern for morality. "Doxxing" has become an increasingly prevalent problem in online spaces, as well, with well-known celebrities, such as Cardi B having her address found and posted online after she expressed support for Presidential Nominee Joe Biden (Noll 1). The topics often discussed in zines, such as feminism, queer issues, political discourse, and minority struggles, have been seen to be the prime target of attacks by the intolerant. Publishing highly personal or potentially controversial topics online can be extremely stressful for individuals. Zines provide an avenue for distribution that can feeler safe through the limited reproducibility, increased knowledge of who sees the content, lack of opportunity for hostility, and increased creator privacy. Zine distribution through places, such as Etsy and zine sharing events, allow the creator to know where their zine is headed. There are also no comment sections in a zine. Feedback from the reader occurs in more controlled ways that encourage civility. Through hand or mail distribution, aggression towards an author is less common due to practical barriers to harassment. Possession of a physical zine cannot lead to the author's IP address being traced. (Blake 33)

Zines encourage pure self-expression and uncompromising sharing of opinions. As Blake states in her paper titled "Analysis of Twenty-First Century Zines," "when makers don't have to fear retaliation, they do not need to compromise the radical nature of their media" (59). Zines allow one to talk about personal topics and radical ideas in a space where they have more control and safety than in digital platforms.

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Zines Provide Protection for Minority Opinions and Groups

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The in-print, private and small distribution nature of zines provides the reader with safety that may not exist in online spaces. The internet and platforms like Facebook have allowed anyone to potentially reach a global audience. Is this broad reach always needed or beneficial?

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https://bookriot.com/history-of-zines/#:~:text=In%20October%20of%201940%2C%20Russ,the%20first%20ever%20queer%20fanzine.

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If you've ever been into an indie bookstore or cruised around at a comic convention, you've likely seen or flipped through a zine. Zines (pronounced ZEEN) have been around since the early 20th century, and have been an enormous part of underground and non-commercial publication. Zines are characteristically cheap to make, often photocopied, and have a distinctly "DIY" look. Often, they represent the voices of people on the fringes, and their content is hyper local.

As far as content goes, zines can feature poetry, art, collage, interviews, comics, and more. Your local small press can roll out zines covering topics from anarchistic gatherings in your area, to comics about police brutality, to tutorials on how to build your own garden boxes. You can even find artistic zines online today, featuring art and artists from all around the world.

Zines have travelled a long way before arriving on your bookshelf or computer screen...so let's take a little look at where they've been!

The 1930s and '40s

The very first zine dates back to May of 1930 in the USA. A little publication called The Comet was first created by the Science Correspondence Club. The letter section of the zine was a prominent feature, where fans discussed science as well as science fiction.

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At this time, photocopiers had not yet been invented. Enter the mimeograph, also known as a stencil duplicator. This machine was invented in the 1800s and remained in use until the 1960s and '70s when it was slowly replaced by the photocopier. It was not ideal for large editions, but it was perfect for the pulp fan magazines of the 1940s-60s.

The 1940s saw a boom in the science fiction fanzine culture. In October of 1940, Russ Chauvenet coined the term fanzine in his sci-fi publication Detours. A number of authors of the day created zines, including Ray Bradbury, Jack Williamson, and Robert A. Heinlein.

Additionally, the 1940s saw the first ever queer fanzine. A woman named Edythe Eyde (also known as Lisa Ben, an anagram of "lesbian") typed out the first copy of in June of 1947, creating a total of nine issues before ending it the following year. The publication was free, and Lisa Ben mailed them to friends as well as hand delivering them.

In 1949, the Xerox Corporation introduced the first xerographic copier, and "xeroxing" was officially born.

The 1950s and '60s: Folk Zines, Comics, and Star Trek

Several popular zines centring folk music culture emerged during the 1950s. Lee Hoffman was a prominent figure who published several science fiction zines as well as folk zines such as Bad Day at Lime Rock, Caravan, and Quandry.

Artists such as Robert Crumb, Art Spiegelman, and Jay Lynch began to find their voices through fanzines, inspired by magazines such as Mad and Cracked. These artists went on to found the underground comics movement that changed the face of the comics industry.

While folk zines were still around in the 1960s, rock and roll zines also took the stage. Paul Williams's zine Crawdaddy!was the most popular of these, but it soon became popular enough to turn legit and become a full-on magazine.

Spockanalia was the first Star Trek zine in 1967, and it was wildly popular. The second issue featured letters from the cast, including Leonard Nimoy.

In 1968, Star Trek was to be cancelled after two seasons, but through fan lobbying (part of which was organized through fan zines), the fans were able to get the show back on the air for another year.

The 1970s and '80s: Punk Zines and the DIY Movement

Copy shops were now widely available in the 1970s, changing zine production forever. Now, zinesters were able to make many copies quickly and cheaply, and the look of zines changed along with it.

The punk scene became the main hub of zine culture during the '70s. Zines took on a grungy, do-it-yourself style. Some of the most popular of these were Sniffin' Glue, 48 Thrills, and Bondage. Most works came out of New York, L.A., and London. Punk zines continued well into the 1980s.

The 1990s and 2000s: Riot Grrrl and Queercore

Riot Grrrl, an underground feminist punk movement, came about in the 1990s. With this movement came a huge sweep of political zines that spread the feminist manifesto.

Queercore (AKA homocore) is another offshoot of anarcho-punk subculture, this one aimed at critiquing homophobia within the genre and society as a whole. QZAP (Queer Zine Archive Project) was first launched in 2003 in an effort to preserve as many queer zines as possible.

2010s and Beyond: What's Next?

Zines are still all the rage, both in digital and DIY physical forms. There are now zine fests, libraries collect zines and bookstores sell them. The POC Zine Project was created in 2015 to archive zines written by people of colour.

The zine is as popular today as it ever has been. It remains an important part of subcultural movements and underground press for marginalized voices. Anybody can make a zine... that's the best part!

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If you've ever been into an indie bookstore or cruised around at a comic convention, you've likely seen or flipped through a zine. Zines (pronounced ZEEN) have been around since the early 20th century, and have been an enormous part of underground and non-commercial publication.