#1 - Polaroids and Feminism!

Instant Gratification
Frothy on WeMakeZines

Not too long and not too short, this zine is a collection of polaroids with matching coloured backgrounds for pages. I love seeing zines like this where the zinester puts time and effort into layout and binding, creating a piece of artwork that is simple and visually pleasing without having an overwhelming amount of things to look at. She also acknowledges the discontinutation of polaroids in the beginning dedicating the zine to an “endangered format” which, I must say, definitely caught my attention and scored some points. This zine is overall charming, memorable and unique. I read this one at a friend’s in Montreal, and will definitely pick up a copy for myself if I ever have the chance.

Fuck Shyness
by Emma (zines_and_teaAThotmail.co.uk.)

Reading this zine, I realised it wasn’t about shyness, but anxiety. I know this because I’ve dealt with multiple types of anxiety throughout my life and can relate to a lot of things that are mentioned. It’s nice because anxiety is more common than we think and often symptoms are misunderstood and often labelled as abnormal and crazy, even by those who experience it themselves but may not fully recognize it. It’s a good zine to anyone who is a constant “what if?” thinker. Basic and simple with a good amount of humour, this short publication contains things we all need to know and keep in mind.


Culture Slut #18 - The Polaroid Issue
by Amber Forrester

This full colour laser-copied zine is packed full of adventurous polaroids from her small hometown of Lindsay and elsewhere, like Ottawa, Toledo, and the east coast. Whether it’s interesting graffiti, signs, or people, she provides stories (via typewriter, better yet!) to go with the polaroid that makes you excited for what’s on the next page. Bonuses are zine reviews in the back and an inspiring “girl love not hate” picture on the back spelled out in magnets.

Fight Boredom #3 - with Feminism!
by Amber Forrester

I don’t usually go out of my way to read comp zines, but I’m a big fan of Amber’s zines and this was definitely no disappointment. Full of feministy goodness, like a brief overview of how the riot grrrl movement rose and fell, eating disorders and beauty standards in the radical community, a myth-busting piece on Japanese gender stereotypes that leads into perceptions of Hello Kitty, her power (or lack thereof), and her message of consumerism. Plus, I really enjoyed the interview with Chelsea Gunn, of Nothing Rhymes, also one of my favourite zinesters. An all around great read.