#NastyWomenUnite: the latest wave of feminism has been largely heralded by the internet—viral campaigns, the spreading of ideas via social media and even the mobilization of women teaming up to fight everyday sexism. One of the more quiet but powerful forces, however, has been the rise of digital feminist magazines.
In an effort to make their voices heard, more and more women are looking to issuu, a free digital publishing platform which allows users to create their own magazines, newspapers and catalogs. In the past year alone, the rise of feminist-based magazines on the site has sky-rocketed, becoming one of its largest growing verticals. Recognizing the significance of the rising force, issuu's CEO, Joe Hyrkin, is pushing the platform's growing segment:
"Feminist and issue-based content is important to the world and issuu is committed to making these ideas available digitally in order to maximize access. We are fortunate to have this category growing on our platform–especially with these incredibly talented women creating content that inspires and brings awareness to important issues like women's empowerment. It is through that access that we can ensure awareness and manifest change."
Following the surprising outcome of the 2016 presidential election, outspoken feminist voices are needed now—perhaps more than ever—and issuu has its dose of female writers stepping up to the plate. From teenagers to college students to working women, the up-and-coming female-led publications include a range of ages, themes and industries.
One of the magazines at the foreground of young women's issues—from education to equality to campus rape culture—is The Siren, a student-led publication from The University of Oregon. The Siren has been around for 30 years but recently turned into a digital zine on issuu that now has the capacity to reach readers well beyond its campus. With this year's many headline-making campus rape cases, like Brock Turner and Brandon Vandenburg, the students behind the publication know its voice is more important now than ever.
Hannah Lewman, editor-in-chief of The Siren, feels this more than anyone: "A campus is such a critical place for a magazine like this. On one hand, we have audiences who are discovering feminism, activism and fighting back against what they've been told their entire lives. On the other hand, you have debates about really major issues—gender, issues of violence and power; in particular, sexual violence is one that gets a lot of media attention. The implications of the conversations we have on campus are important not just to our campus environment, but also off campus as well."
The students behind the magazine are also tapping into oft-criticized millennial tendencies—like taking selfies—to instead empower themselves. The most recent issue, dubbed 'The Selfie Issue,' touched upon issues like intersectionality and gender through the idea of selfies and how people can control the way they present themselves to the world. Lewman said the inspiration behind the issue was to "empower people whose voices are not always expressed in mainstream media."
Along with magazines that cater to women of specific ages, issuu also has magazines catering to women of specific trades. Enter Tom Tom Magazine: the only magazine in the world dedicated solely to female drummers. In an industry overwhelmingly dominated by men, female drummers are often excluded, so founder Mindy Seegal Abovitz decided to fight back against that notion. "As a female drummer, I recognized we were very sorely left out of the media; it just made sense for me to start a magazine that actually catered to me and the other female drummers I knew," Abovitz explains.
Whether it's drumming, politics or the military, there are many industries and areas where women are too-often left out of the narrative—and now they're using the power of the written word to say they're simply not willing to accept that. And if you think other women aren't interested in these fields, the numbers prove otherwise; Tom Tom Magazine fosters a community of about one million readers per month—a number that Abovitz says is constantly growing.
But the reach goes beyond just drumming capabilities; magazines like Tom Tom are understanding the importance of diversity and inclusivity: "Our primary goal is to cover and inspire girls who drum. Our secondary goal is to create really good media that portrays people of all colors, sizes, ability levels and sexuality," Abovitz says.
The badass girl-power message from Tom Tom has managed to extend from its homebase in Brooklyn to readers across the world, creating a safe, confidence-inducing space for female drummers.
Over at Barnard College, students are blending fashion with culture and feminism in their on-campus magazine, Hoot. For those who don't think fashion can be feminist, these students will prove you wrong: "In my classes, we're introduced to a lot of feminists and through that I've definitely become much more aware of the importance of representation in the media, especially in fashion media, and providing more of a feminist angle for these publications," Anisa Tavangar, editor-in-chief of Hoot, says.
The students behind Hoot know that intersectionality and inclusivity are the future of both fashion and feminism—and they use those beliefs as the undertone for their entire publication. If it's a fashion editorial, expect to see models ranging in size, ethnicity and genders. The staff of photographers, designers, models, editors and more are all undergraduate students ranging in studies, gender and interests—a key element factored into the very premise of the feminist-friendly zine.
Tavangar wants fashion to be something that all people can be empowered by: "Fashion can be a space where people are encouraged no matter what they're studying, no matter what their interests are, because this idea of feeling good from the inside-out is something that impacts everyone, and not just from a purely superficial standpoint; I think it also has the potential to highlight different interests and attitudes."
While the fashion industry itself seems to be lacking in some of these inclusive and diverse values, a rising generation of women are stepping up to the plate with their own magazines in tow. And young women, like Tavangar and her staff over at Hoot, are filling those missing voids with content that embraces feminism and representation of all voices.
It's not totally clear which direction feminist journalism will go in the next few years, but issuu plans to continue to be a growing part of that movement: "We are about beating the drum for the creative voice, the passion, the authentic expression that committed publishers bring to their work, their content and their community every day," Hyrkin said. "Issuu is about standing together with the voices of care, passion, and forward movement of our culture." Girl power, indeed.
To support the growing number of feminist magazines, issuu has created a page with all of its women empowerment publications. Read Tom Tom, Hoot, The Siren and more here.
Lauren Alexis Fisher is the Senior Editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing digital content across fashion, lifestyle, beauty, sex, and culture. Previously, she was the Market Editor at Harper’s BAZAAR and has written for publications including WWD, Bustle, and W Magazine. When she’s not busy taste-testing her way through every dirty martini in New York, you can follow her on Instagram for bad jokes, good outfits, and annoying vacation pics.
