step by step by step

feministkitsch:

grieving:

I get to read the coolest books for my thesis. I love it…which probably means I’m writing the right thesis for me at this particular time in my young-adult life.

The most recent book that I finished…less than 24 hours ago…is called Girl Zines: Making Media, Doing Feminism by Alison Piepmeier. I honestly didn’t/don’t know much about zines and zine culture but this book gave me a great introduction. Not only did it explore issues of identity and sexuality and body image (among others) but it also discussed Third-Wave feminism as a movement in terms of activism and politics. I feel that Piepmeier managed to delve into her issues while at the same time accessibly discussing theory.

There were some stylistic aspects in the text that I did not enjoy, but they didn’t distract me enough to take away my enjoyment in reading Girl Zines. All in all, it felt very easy and personal, which is rare in an academic text.That, and I find the politics of identity fascinating. And, honestly, I believe that this book could successfully be used in teaching about identity. 

The one thing that I will remember the most, though…aside from the extensive notes currently saved to my computer, the beautiful blue and green and purple cover, my personal enjoyment of the reading process, and the internal Pro and Con list/conflict that I feel when closely examining the Third-Wave…is this phrase, taken from one of zines Piepmeier analyzed:

“Fuck you world, I am femme.”

And that could be the motto of the entire book…it’s very this-is-how-it-is-and-I-refuse-to-back-the-fuck-down.

Wanna read!