I always feel a rewarding sense of empowerment when I read about other amazing girls in the world; sometimes, though, it’s difficult to find a consistent place to find articles about them. I had stopped hoping for any huge sources of women’s information until I stumbled across the independent zine and blog start ups that amazing women have been producing over the internet (yay technology!).
To ring in 2015 with a lot of wonderful women-centric info, I’ve put together this catalogue of 15 rad websites and online magazines!
1. Rookie Mag
This website for teenage girls is always fresh and has something for everyone to read! Categories range from music and other forms of media, like cinema and books, to “dear diary” and “live through this” posts about how other girls are getting through what life throws at them.
2. Gurl.com
Gurl.com has relevant Buzzfeed-like articles, forums, quizzes, and even articles about free stuff. The site has, well, everything a girl could want! Confession: I definitely got sidetracked writing about this website by a couple of their articles.
“Devoted to the representation of [people of color] in the media and entertainment industry,” Shade Magazine fills the gaps that many magazines leave when they overlook huge accomplishments and stories relation to women of color. Started by two women of color from the Bay Area, Shade is an alternative publication that has at some amazing features, interviews, and art articles produced by equally amazing women of color.
Have you been looking for a magazine that had relevant cultural information and representation about Asian American identities (not to mention hair and make-up tips that specifically have your features in mind)? Well, at Mochi Mag, various volunteer writers aim to be “the older sister you never had.” With advice on fashion, beauty, health, careers, and more, they’re doing a stellar job! Definitely worth checking out.
5. Afro Puffs and Ponytails, Inc.
This website compiles uplifting articles, resources, and event listings relevant to empowering young black girls in America. It has content appropriate for young ladies and teens and resources that parents can use to help support and inspire the next generation.
Clutch Magazine is another great resource for black women—it’s a lifestyle magazine that features fashion, beauty, and culture articles for “today’s forward thinking black woman.” Its articles range from pretty and practical to political, with a beauty tag that boasts negative-space nail inspiration and Revlon’s discrimination sui based on the CEO’s myriad of racist remarks as its most recent posts.
If Essence is too old for you, then Andréa, the Editor-in-Chief of Sesi Magazine, felt just like you when she was in high school. She set out to publish her own magazine about the “Black girl’s mainstream” and curates not only an online magazine but also a print issue that you can subscribe to!
Bonding over food is one of my favorite things to do with my girls—but sometimes we need more than our monthly pizza night. Spoon University has got your back, from recipes for one-pan pasta to cookies you can make in the microwave, and even how to class up your grilled cheese game. Cofounded by two best female friends from Northwestern, this website boasts a number of lady-contributors.
I wish I had access to a blog like this when I was in high school; it wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I even knew what the word “feminism” meant. Jules Spector, the sole contributor to Teen Feminist, however, is 14 and has an amazing point of view on current issues facing the fight for gender equality! The amount of content she publishes isn’t overwhelming, with about one informative, insightful blog post a month. Get your dose of “feminism from a teenage perspective” here!
10. The fBomb
Have you ever heard the word “feminist” treated like a dirty word? If so, these young feminists have your back. They boast a “loud, proud, sarcastic, and passionate” blog that covers everything under the sun relevant to feminism: pop-culture, awareness, and feminism’s importance in our society.
This isn’t your mother’s fashion magazine! With themes that are thought-provoking and illustrious like “Hard Flesh” and “City Slickers,” there is no overlap in this magazine. Every issue brings new creativity to the table. In keeping with their efforts to support new, experimental fashion and art work, they take submissions from both established and up and coming artists.
12. Quaint Magazine
Quaint is near and dear to my heart, as an aspiring female writer. They only publish women-identifying and genderqueer/nonconforming artists’ work, because women are ridiculously underrepresented in literature (and don’t get us started on trans* women and women of color!). This magazine isn’t always pretty, just like being a woman; they describe their aesthetic as “politely aware subversive horror candy-coated and wrapped in a ribbon.” They just came out with their third issue, so keep a look out if you want to submit anything for the fourth.
13. Cherry
Zines are one of my favorite new things to read, especially ones that are independently produced by women. Cherry is a feminist/art/photography/everything zine run by Beth Dunne from the UK that gets intimate with its contributors and is just very real and relevant to teenage women right now. The zine currently has seven issues published, and I’m excited to keep an eye on Cherry.
I can honestly die happy now that there are so many feminist zines being curated on the Internet; Girls Get Busy is one of my new favorites. Another from the UK, Girls Get Busy supports feminist artists, writers, and musicians. It’s pretty and rebellious, suited for girls in their late teens who have a lot to say. They also take submissions, so if this sounds like a dream come true, you should check them out.
Polyester wants to celebrate everything the current fashion industry is not: “trash, kitsch, and camp…a backlash against the fashion industry’s infatuation with understated and over conceptualized minimalism.” They say screw society’s constant hate of subcultures and millennials’ countless new fashions; let’s celebrate them! They also boast being open to any new ideas that you want to throw their way, so if alternative fashion is your scene, this is the magazine for you!
If you’ve got any new reads for 2015, share them with us! The more the merrier, because there’s no such thing as too much girl power.
comments