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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog:

Cut: A Zine about Getting Free by Chopping Off My Hair: In this incredible zine, Cassandra (of Secondhard Emotion zine) writes about her hair: how her internalized anti-blackness shaped her feelings about it while growing up, the ways in which her changing hairstyles reflected her sense of self & her relationship with her mother, and the reasons why she chose to eventually shave her head. Cassandra is one of the best writers in the zine world today, and Cut is one of the best zines you’ll read this year. It will push you to think about the secret histories buried beneath the most visible parts of ourselves. Highly recommended.

Pansy #13: Another heavy zine from Laura, but one that I am thankful to be carrying. First, a content warning, as she writes about death, suicide, suicidal ideation, & eating disorders. Laura traces her history with eating disorders & drug use, recounts the joys and difficulties of her time spent living in New Orleans, and her life as it is now back in Toronto. She pulls no punches here -- her writing is brutally honest & very dark. And yet I am hoping that the act of sharing her story helps Laura feel a little bit of light from within that darkness.

Sidai: Stories of Our Bodies: Through gorgeous color photographs and accompanying narratives, this zine documents different forms of Black body art (tattoos, piercings, stretch marks, birthmarks, etc). As Ameerah, one of the founders of Sidah, said in a note with her submission, “The zine was created as a healing space for Black folks to reclaim their bodies and their beautification processes.” It is a striking celebration of Black bodies & it’s worth every penny of your $5. Sidai is truly a stunning, indispensable zine.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog:

Burned Out -- With a subtitle of reflections on working in a domestic violence safe house, this zine covers the nearly four years that Sari (of Hoax zine) spent working as a domestic violence and sexual assault advocate at a safe house in New Jersey. It’s split into five sections, covering why and how Sari began their work, interacting with service recipients via a crisis hotline or in person, dealing with nonprofit bureaucracy, encountering outside opinions on this line of work & Sari’s personal experiences as they are connected (or not) to that work, and reflections on their job now that they no longer there. At times this zine made my heart heavy, but it’s a worthwhile, powerful read if you are up for it.

Dig Deep #8 -- This issue of Dig Deep (the first in two years!) is split into three sections: Part 1 covers Heather’s shifting relationship with zines and her feelings surrounding stepping down as an organizer of the Chicago Zine Fest. Part 2 recaps her goal of sending 100 pieces of mail in 2016, along with all of the ways that letters and postcards weave their way into her life and strengthen her relationships. Part 3 reveals her process of trying to be good to herself and to others. It has eleven sections, covering things like setting intentions, finding gratitude, etc. She lists the specific movements & habits that she depends on to take care of herself & her community, and she encourages you to do the same.

Hoax #13 -- The theme Hoax #13 is feminisms and spaces, and it just may be my favorite one yet. As always, Hoax makes room for wide-ranging interpretations of the theme, meaning that the specific topic of each essay varies, and that is precisely what makes this zine so good. This one includes writing on the ways that bodies can take up space or become invisible, on the idea of safe(r) spaces (in relation to workplaces, our communities, and the world at large), a brief history of fagazines, passing on the internet, and so much more. I kept having to put this zine down & come back to it, because many of the essays made me pause & reflect. I bet the same will happen to you, too.  

Tributaries #6 -- JC, who has long since been diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, shares what it was like when her hand stopped working like it used to. Unable to move three fingers, and in increasing pain, she writes about the fear of having your body betray you, of how to present your body in ways that can be shielded from inquisitive strangers but taken seriously by healthcare providers. Doctor's appointments & x-rays explain JC’s diagnosis, and as she prepares for her fifth major surgery, she reveals the deep emotions behind what’s to come. JC is one of the world’s kindest, loveliest humans, and I am thankful that she continues to share her experiences through her writing.

Tributaries #7 -- I could say that this issue of Tributaries is about JC’s wrist surgery & her recovery process, but it is so much more than that. It’s about how to survive events that change who you are, physically and emotionally. It’s about how to lean on those who care for you and how to reconnect with the world when you are pulled out of your daily routine. It’s about healing and rebuilding and growing stronger. JC’s writing is gorgeous and she is very open with everything that she feels. This zine is how every zine should be. Highly recommended.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog:

Black Women & Self Defense -- Oh, THIS ZINE. First I will tell you what this zine is not. It’s not an instructional guide to the physical side of self defense. It doesn’t teach you moves to protect yourself from harm. Instead, as Naomi says, “This zines focuses on how we are treated in public spaces, how to conserve our energy, prevent situations and reclaim our space in the streets and other public spaces.” It’s about how black womens’ bodies are often targeted in public, how to confront the harassment & fear that is inevitable outside of the home, and how to take care of yourself when it happens. This is one of the best zines that this distro has ever carried. Highly recommended.

The Tyranny of Civility -- The four lengthy essays in this zine are centered on, as the subtitle says, “the choice between black liberation and white comfort.” Marc writes about the racial & gendered implications of respectability politics and tone policing, the reasons why empathy isn’t enough to threaten social oppression, how white folks need to work through their personal discomfort with the ways in which people of color voice their resistance to racial oppression, the harm in framing of disruption as “violence,” and so much more. This zine is pointed & passionate, and it’s absolutely necessary reading. Highly recommended.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog:

(meta)paradox #5 -- Olivia has been a longtime supporter of Stranger Danger & so it’s sweet to be carrying her zine in the distro. She calls this one “the neuroqueer issue,” with writing on “the intersection of queerness and neurodivergence (having a neurology that diverges from what is considered “normal”).” Olivia uses her writing to explore being queer, femme, Latina, atheist, autistic, & panromantic asexual, and how these parts of her identity interact with and influence one another. There’s so much in here that it would be impossible to recap it all in this description. It’s very personal, very text-heavy, & very long -- 88 pages! You’ll be reading this one for days.

Secondhand Emotion #2 -- I really loved the first issue of this zine & so I was thrilled to discover that the second issue is also incredible. It carries the subtitle of “navigating the politics of attraction in late capitalism through a nihilistic feminist lens” & the writing inside is candid & powerful. Here Cassandra looks back on past relationships (& her actions once they ended) in order to dig through feelings about race + location + desirability + social capital. In doing so she works through difficult questions & realizations about herself, her past partners, and her community. This is one of the best zine series being published today, I promise you.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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“YOUR VOTE WAS A HATE CRIME” graffitied on the monument to Jefferson Davis in Richmond, Virginia. 

(Steve Helber/AP)

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Dang, Olympia Zine Fest is crushing the workshop game this year!

Disability and Zines Facilitated by Sabine Rear and Kayla Rosen There are lots of disabled, d/Deaf, sick, neurodivergent, mad, crip, etc. folks making great zines! Let’s hang out and talk about it. We’ll discuss the politics of disabled art, how zine culture and disabled culture intersect, how we make and share zines to create access. Disabled zinesters will have an opportunity to share work they’ve made and how they produce, distribute, and take in zines. Abled people are welcome to attend and are asked to respect the space by prioritizing disabled attendees. Curious about other workshops OZF has to offer this year? Check out our workshops page!

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Zines are being collected for this sweet perzine exhibition in the UK. Want to send them something? Info is here!

[Stellar artwork by Emma Thacker]

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THIS LOOKS SO GOOD. I’ve never wished so hard that I was on the west coast because I really need this workshop right now. So bummed to be missing it!

Don’t Overthink It: Overcoming Mental Barriers When You’re Trying to Be Creative Facilitated by Osa Atoe Everyone has gone through this: You think of a creative idea but then over complicate it in your head to the point where can’t even begin working on bringing the idea to fruition. Or you start and you feel like it sucks so you don‘t finish. DIY culture says everyone can do anything; Don‘t let what you don‘t have (be it expensive materials or technical skill) stop you from using what you do have. We all like how this sounds, but how do we actually push through our insecurities, creative blocks and apprehensions and follow through? This workshop will be a discussion where everyone is invited to participate. If you’re stuck on a project, we’ll try to give you some advice and encouragement. If you’ve gotten hung up in your head about a project for a long time but managed to push through and make something you’re relatively proud of, tell us how you did it. Other questions to consider: What are the pros and cons of “putting yourself out there”, i.e. sharing your creativity with the world vs. keeping it to yourself? What or where is the healthy middle ground between raw, DIY, self-taught creative output and well-practiced, trained expression? If you can be less critical of your own creativity, will you be less critical of yourself in general and thus less judgemental of others? Discussion facilitated by Osa Atoe.

Curious about all the workshops OZF has to offer this year? Check out our workshops page!  

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The glorious return of 31 Postcards in 31 Days is on its way, y’all. Write 31 postcards in the month of October & that’s it. Mail freaks from all over are encouraged to get in on this. Info here.

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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog: 

Brown People for Black Power -- This split zine, written by the members of Brown and Brown Press and Moonroot (two collectives of people of color), focuses specifically on “confronting anti-blackness in our communities.” It’s stacked with sharp, emotionally bare essays by folks of color who are working to resist anti-blackness in various forms. The writers offer concrete ways to lift up and support black communities, to break down internalized racism, to dismantle anti-blackness on both a personal level and a broader societal level. This zine is a valuable resource that I hope sells one trillion copies because it’s necessary reading. Get it, then pass it around. Highly recommended.

Small Magic #1 -- I knew I would be into this zine from the very start, when Hannah described seeing graffiti that read protect your magic and the meaning she found in it (hooray for those small reminders to keep building a good life!). This zine is about some tough topics, but it’s also super positive & hopeful. Hannah writes about social anxiety & depression, her experiences being on & off antidepressants, being surrounded by a supportive queer community, coping mechanisms to get through the daily grind, tiny acts of self care, nutrition & disordered eating, & more. Hannah’s last zine was seven years ago, but let’s hope that her next one comes sooner, as this is one of the best new zines I’ve read in a long time.

Pieces #13 -- Nichole devotes this issue of her long-running zine to writing on asexuality. She notes that it is “a basic primer to the orientation of asexuality and asexuality as a spectrum, at least as I understand it.” It’s both educational (without being overly academic) & personal, with Nichole breaking down exactly what asexuality is and how being a romantic asexual impacts her relationships with others. She unravels the ways that asexuality is invalidated, shares her disappointment over touch and sexual intimacy being so closely intertwined, and looks back on her own history of growing up in a sexual world. Excellent writing + a sweet cut and paste layout = everything you ever wanted in a zine, and it’s all in this one. Don’t miss it.

Alex #9 -- The subtitle to this one is Privacy and Persona, and oh boy could I relate to a lot of what is inside. Alex starts by dissecting privacy: her history with it, her family’s relationship with secret keeping, privacy in relation to her zine writing & social media use, the notion of authenticity vs holding things back. She then moves into her feelings about persona: how using a pseudonym affects her what she chooses to share with others, how persona gets tangled up with gender identity, the ways that lived experiences are discounted or ignored by others. This is a straight-up gem of a zine, and it will encourage you to think about how these things play out in your own life. Highly recommended.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog:

Hoax #12 -- Hoax is a feminist compilation zine with a changing theme, this one focusing on feminisms and healing. Hoax is always jam packed with smart, critical writing & at 78 pages long, it’s a steal for $3.50 (let’s all offer eternal thanks to editors Sari & Rachel for the work they do to keep this zine consistently rad & affordable!). There is so much in this issue: inherent worth & self-care for femmes, on staying quiet about grief & survivorship, on acknowledging & healing from trauma, on living with mental illness, on friendship & support, and way more than I have space to detail. Essential reading for feminists everywhere.

No More Words #3 -- Rachel says in the intro, “The point is this--my adulthood looks a lot different than I thought it would be” which is the loose framework for this zine. In her late 20’s, Rachel finds herself having to deal with what it means for her to be an adult -- caring for an aging parent living with acute dementia, feeling like a fake at her job, reflecting on the way her teenage self viewed her eating disorder, being a single queer woman having to navigate the dating scene, processing the suicide of a cherished acquaintance, and more. Figuring out adulthood can be the absolute worst, and Rachel writes about it with clarity & honesty.

Telegram #39 -- Maranda says of this issue, “Telegram #39 is about examining the ways poverty, trauma, and chronic pain shape & alter & distort my perceptions of myself, my body, & my imagination.” I’ve already read this zine twice & I know I’ll read it again -- it’s that good. It’s one long essay that reads like an open letter or diary entry, and Maranda doesn’t hold back when writing about how poverty & trauma & chronic pain have affected them throughout their life and into the present day. They lay bare their reality, they dream & ask questions & seek out coping strategies, they keep living. This is one of the best issues of Telegram I’ve ever read, & I’ve been reading it for years & years. Highly recommended.

Thou Shalt Not Talk About the White Boys Club: Challenging the Unwritten Rules of Punk -- This is the second, expanded edition of a zine Sari wrote in 2012. They acknowledge their shifting perspective on some of what was in the earlier edition, and yet it’s still a striking examination of the flaws found in punk, and the ways it pushes away folks (many of whom are women, people of color, trans, queer, or genderqueer) who feel betrayed by it. It’s split into seven sections: race and gendered expectations for dress and behavior; perpetuating misogyny, girl hate, and “special snowflake” syndrome; accessibility, faux unity, and ironic perpetuation of racism in punk; influence, creative participation, and going behind the music; mosh pits, white masculinity, and normalized aggression and anger; purity in politics, behaviors, and interest; and trying to incite positive change in the scene. There is so much to take in -- this zine is 58 text-heavy pages -- & it will probably break your little punk heart a bit more than it already has been, but if you’re up for it, it will also challenge you to make punk better.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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I have advice for people who want to write. I don’t care whether they’re 5 or 500. There are three things that are important: First, if you want to write, you need to keep an honest, unpublishable journal that nobody reads, nobody but you. Where you just put down what you think about life, what you think about things, what you think is fair and what you think is unfair. And second, you need to read. You can’t be a writer if you’re not a reader. It’s the great writers who teach us how to write. The third thing is to write. Just write a little bit every day. Even if it’s for only half an hour — write, write, write.

Madaleine L'Engle  (via sociolab)

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yep

things I’ve learned to say to boys: -you’re not funny -don’t talk to me like I’m dumb -I probably know more about this than you do -don’t fucking talk about her like that -I’m not comfortable with this -I don’t owe you anything -you just repeated exactly what I said -no

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Just added to the Stranger Danger catalog:

Alex #8 -- Oh how I wish I could make thoughtful, beautiful zines as quickly as Alex does! In this issue, she tackles one of the things that I think about most: the idea of “making your life” & how radical shifts in your daily activities can have a huge impact on your outlook. She also writes about the balance between being critical & being constructive, about the magic & weariness that comes with living in NYC, and her feelings of introspection that come from reading Carrie Brownstein’s memoir. There are other, smaller pieces woven throughout the zine, as well. If you’re not reading Alex zine, now’s the time to get on it. 

Doris #32 -- There is a reason that everyone loves Doris, and it’s because Cindy consistently writes sharp, sincere zines centered around the ideas of growing & learning. And that is exactly what you will find in this issue. She writes stories about exploring the notion of community & friendship, along with ways of creating positive & meaningful conversations. There are interviews (with Marius Mason, an environmental & animal rights activist currently in prison, and Icky Dunn, an anarchist over 40), book reviews, and instructions on how to do a self-guided writing workshop meant to help develop critical consciousness. Doris is a zine that gently guides you as you work to be better & helps move you along that path. I’m always grateful for it. 

Epicenter Zone: Twenty Five Year Reunion Zine -- From the intro: “Epicenter Zone was an all-volunteer collective that ran a not-for-profit record store, zine library, community space, and sometime venue.” Based in San Francisco, it was around from 1990 – 1999, and it’s a crucial part of west coast punk history. This zine was made in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the start of the space, and it compiles origin stories, interviews with volunteers, photos, & flyers. I have a special place in my heart for zines like this, because it’s so important that DIY & punk communities step up to document & archive the work that we do so that it’s not buried & forgotten. Get this to remember Epicenter Zone (or to learn about it), and then let’s keep thinking about how we can build & sustain radical community spaces together in our own cities.

Pussy Boi #1 -- Felix wrote to me that this is Pussy Boi is about “being queer, being trans, and working alongside people experiencing homelessness” but that is putting it in the simplest terms because this zine is pure gold. He writes about saving others / being saved from suicidal thoughts & pain, class privilege in the trans movement, ways to work through thoughts of comparison & competition with others, trans-masculine folks being welcomed (or not) into women’s sexual assault crisis centers, and the homogeneity of queer sex-positivity culture. Felix says that he is trying to do things that are vulnerable without being perfect, which really comes across in this zine. His writing is both considerate & critical, with single sentences that will crush you in the best way. Highly recommended.

Get ‘em over at Stranger Danger!

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Love others so radically they wonder why.

Jefferson Bethke (via thelovejournals)

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Radical Mental Health Zines in PDF

Hi everyone,  With the help of soyunacutre, I have created a list of zines about mental health that are available in PDF, please feel free to have a look at them and message me or reblog adding a comment if you want to suggest more. Let’s make this list bigger! :) Please be aware that I haven’t read all of them so don’t know the specific triggers that they might contain but expect at least depression, suicide, eating disorders, sexual abuse, etc. I recommend you to read the intro of each zine to avoid potential triggering situations. 

Let me know if a link is broken or you’re the author of one of these zines and for whatever reason you don’t want it in this list. 

GENERAL

Rising Up without Burning Out:  http://mindfuloccupation.org/publications/

Class struggle and mental health. Live to fight another day http://libcom.org/files/CS&MH_Libcom.pdf

Get a grip: https://sarahtearex.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/getagrip.pdf  

Patologize this: http://archive.qzap.org/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/254

Patologize this II: http://archive.qzap.org/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/364

Mapping Madness: http://zinelibrary.info/files/mappingmadness.pdf

Affinity Issue 3: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/system/zine/2011/02/23/979/affinityissue3.pdf

Wax and Feathers, The Icarus Project Zine http://www.theicarusproject.net/files/waxandfeathers.pdf

Staying out of the hospital. A guide to surviving psychosis: http://zinelibrary.info/files/surviving_psychosis-read.pdf

Navigating Crisis by Icarus Project (handout) http://zinelibrary.info/files/IcarusNavigatingCrisisHandoutLarge05-09.pdf

Growing up with a Multiple Mum: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B12VWyLM4_mdbFNKWFUyM0JxWFE/edit?pli=1

The Worst: A Compilation Zine about Grief and Lost http://zinelibrary.info/files/the%20worst2.pdf

SELF-HARM

Hurting Youself: http://theicarusproject.net/files/hurtingyourself-scramble.pdf

SELF-CARE

An Herbal Medicine Making

http://zinelibrary.info/files/An%20Herbal%20Medicine-Making%20Primer%20%20PRINT.pdf

Healing in the Woods Around Us http://zinelibrary.info/files/medicinalplants.pdf

Vitamins, Minerals and Mental Health. Medicinal Plants for Mental Health Support: http://zinelibrary.info/files/vitamins%20minerals%20and%20mental%20health2.pdf

For all we care. Reconsidering Self-Care: http://cloudfront.crimethinc.com/pdfs/self-as-other_for-screen.pdf

Powering your babe vibes. Methods of self-care

http://www.babevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/MethodsofSelfCare.pdf

Radical Self-Love by The Bandit Zine

http://thebanditzine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Bandit-SELF-LOVE.pdf

ACTIVISM

The revolution starts with me 

http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1106245061519-168/The+Revolution+Starts+with+Me+Zine.pdf

Counterbalance http://www.alternativesjournal.ca/sites/default/files/files/zines/counterbalance.pdf

SUBSTANCE ABUSE/MISUSE and ADDICTIONS

Prescription for change: http://zinelibrary.info/files/prescription%20for%20change2.pdf

SEXUAL ASSAULT

Witch-hunt. Addressing mental health and confronting sexual assault in activist communities http://www.phillyspissed.net/sites/default/files/ZINE%20Witch%20Hunt.pdf Ask First. Resources for supporters, perpetrators or survivors of sexual assault  http://zinelibrary.info/files/ask%20first.pdf

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A zine fest for marginalised people within the zine community is coming to Newark, N.J, U.S. on July 9th 2016! 

Welcome to the Betty Zine Fest!