Hypertext Magazine asked the creators of They Call Us, a feminist literary magazine, “What makes you different from other feminist magazines?”
By Megan Harris, Social Media Director, and Arran Bowen, Art Director
There are two main differences between They Call Us and other feminist magazines: how we obtain content and our brand.
In regards to content, They Call Us pulls from second wave feminism. The second wave began with women sitting in rooms together discussing the female experience and were surprised and horrified to find out that they were not alone. Their hardships and stresses were not personality quirks, they were shared and some even planned.
They Call Us uses that sense of community and shared experiences as inspiration for our Coven Congresses. Before every edition we hold small gatherings and invite women to have an open discussion around the theme of that edition. Our most recent Coven Congress was for our upcoming edition, They Call Us Bossy, which launches January 8th, about women in leadership.
The goal of each Coven Congress comes from the zine’s motto “Our Voices Are Our Weapon”. We want to create a safe space to have discussions about really charged and difficult topics. We want to make people feel heard while having some fun at the same time. So we light candles, drink a little wine, and see what stories the conversational wind will uncover. Our editors then use these gatherings as inspiration for creative works in the edition and fuel future editions.
If it was just the six of us sitting in a room, the zine’s perspective would be pretty limited, but by opening the conversation to all points of view we create something really special.
While we do hold open submissions for writers to present their own work, we understand that not everyone’s gift is writing or art centric. If writing or art are not your preference, we still want your voice heard. Coven Congresses are how we make sure that representation is there. Our open submissions for writing and art provide another platform for voices to be heard, but Coven Congress is unique because it invokes a real life conversation. Being able to create a safe space like that to share experiences is one of our favorite things about the zine.
The main facet of “sui generis” brand is the design. They Call Us’ layout diverges from the traditional magazine template of art and text working laterally or hand in hand. Instead They Call Us uses more of a multilateral approach to media basing a lot of our inspiration from the 1990s punk zine era. Feminist bands, like Bikini Kill, manipulated literary media to make art and text work as one, which in our minds, conveyed a more authentic and relatable message. Life isn’t experienced in a confined structure. It is loud, wild, and multifaceted in a way that is better understood when words and art have free reign on a page. That’s where our layout starts, with a feeling.
While the layout of the zine certainly pays homage to 90’s zine culture, it’s also important to note the other aspects of the design that make They Call Us different. Sharing people’s stories, especially womxn’s stories, means sometimes there is content that is difficult to read. We open up dialogue about complicated topics, and it was important to us to have a publication where people can stop reading if they are triggered or overwhelmed. The color schemes for each edition are chosen to fit the mood of the content in a way that balances the triggering stories with the empowering ones, allowing readers the freedom to read the zine without the fear of feeling triggered. While plenty of other magazines include trigger warnings, They Call Us seeks to warn readers not just with a disclaimer, but with how the page in front of you makes you feel.
Our brand and our content make us different, but it’s also important to note what makes us the same. Our appreciation for other feminist zines, and zine culture as a whole, is paramount to our success. The ability to have this platform, to uplift womxn’s voices, wouldn’t be possible without others paving the way for us. We’ve joined a brilliant community of activists, scholars, and changemakers, and we’re happy to say we’re in good company.
They Call Us is a literary magazine created by powerful womxn wanting to empower other womxn. Using media, art, and literature as a means to inspire, They Call Us wants to tell the everyday struggles of womxn from around the world. The purpose of art is to create change, so They Call Us works to unite womxn and artists to tell the stories of those that are normally silenced. Our goal is to ignite conversation and encourage womxn of all ages, race, sexuality, nationality, ability, and the like to share their stories. They Call Us wishes to diversify the messages we see online and change the dialogue to give credibility to all of us womxn who have felt helpless and lacking a credible voice. Feminist | They Call Us zine