Magazine Monday (01)

Bust is a bi-monthly United States-based women's lifestyle magazine. It was founded in 1993 by Debbie Stoller, Laurie Henzel, and Marcelle Karp.  Bust covers music, fashion, art, crafting, sex and news from an independent, Third Wave Feminist perspective. 

The trio wanted to create a new, positive, outspoken women's magazine for their generation and started the then-zine by photocopying and stapling issues themselves after work.  Editor-in-Chief Debbie Stoller named the magazine Bust, because it was "aggressive and sexy and funny". While Bust had the connotation of "breaking through and busting stereotypes", she also liked that "it was a title that could belong to a men's porn magazine". The tagline is "For Women With Something To Get Off Their Chests."

Feb/March 2011 - Volume 67

Bust is one of my favorite magazines.  The perspective it takes is in-line with my views on many issues.  The writers are all great and really do the homework for the types of articles they have.  I'm going to talk a little bit about this Feb/March issuse, which is all about SEX!  

Some of the articles include: 

"Blonde Ambition - Portia de Rossi proves that self-acceptance is the sexiest accessory of all.  By Priya Jain"

I hope everyone gets a chance to read Portia de Rossi's memior, Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain, because it is powerful!  Jain did a great job interviewing de Rossi about her fight with aneroxia, her views on being a feminist, and her coming out and marriage to Ellen DeGeneres.  Each question adds something to the interview; there isn't vapid "What's your favorite food/color/hair product?" questions.  In four pages the reader gets the meat of the story!

"Like a Virgin - Uncovering the Christian crusade to keep girls' mitts off their naughty bits.  By Blaire Briody"

Briody explores the culture of Dirty Girls Ministries, which is an organization said to help women recover from their "porn addiction".  However, as Briody discovers, those two words are misleading, and many of these young women are being condemned or shunned for their "extra curricular activities" under the sheets, which is quoted to be two ties or less a week.  This article is interesting because it highlights the spin in which certain organizations put on issues in order to gain their way.  now if someone feels they have a porn addiction and wish to seek treatment, I support that; it's your decision.  But I don't support the preaching that a sexual appetite is wrong or unhealthy.  Definitely was an interesting read!

"The Naked Truth - Bloggers who exposed their sex lives on the Internet talk about playing with fire and getting burned.  By Emily McCombs"

I turned to this article first because I was intrigued by these women who were brave enough to put something as personal as their sex lives online without being in the porn industry.  They speak of the repercussions, but also the community that has popped up around this topic.  It was amazing to read about how intensely some people hate these women.  I'm definitely on the side of if you don't agree then don't read it!

There other gems include in each issue, such as "She-bonics", which takes funny/inspiring/awesome quotes from some of the top females in today's culture.  "Buy or DIY", which always gives a cool DIY project (this issue it was mobiles).  And "One-Handed Read", which features an erotic story at the very back; always very satisfying ; ).

WARNING: This magazine is NOT for anyone younger than 17 or 18.  It is not meant for teens, but if the teen is mature enough I think this would develop her (or his!) sense of feminism to a higher degree!  If you want some more information about Bust and other feminist magazines, this NY Times article, "The New Feminist Mystique", is good even if it's from 2001.

Tweet

Pin It