Bad Mouth
Bad Mouth: Issue #1
A music, art and politics fanzine
This is a zine for people who like music, art and questioning the way things are. Profits go into creative workshops on activism and personal politics such as the What is Your Activism? series which runs here at The Boileroom (check our What’s On page for the next date!).
Bad Mouth Issue #1 features an insightful interview with Girlpool, a free patch, poetry, essays on relationships and the alternative scene and loads more. Contributions from Martin Ruffin, Megan Andrew, Ryan De Freitas and Girlpool, Krishna Istha, Joe Fuller, Anni Movsisyan, Duncan Smith, Lizzie Coan, Jacob Joyce of Screaming Toenail, Jess Bridgeman, Mike Foster, X-ALLIN, Eva Cookney and members of sorryyoufeeluncomfortable.
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Beast Grrl
Beast Grrl #1
Created by a group of teenage girls in Balitmore, this zine is strong and powerful, including a manifesto of feminism which prioratizes connecting with other girls with support, articles, stories and art about women in history, youth activism, body image and more. – Cindy Crabb
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Beast Grrl #2 / 16 pages / Half size
The Beast Grrls are a group of teenage girls living in or around Baltimore. This issue is based around the word magic and the belief that every girl is beautiful in her own way.
Inside there is a piece about the power of periods, attending the Women’s Debate Institute in Minnesota, a manifesto, a piece about corporations & women, a list of rights we have been dealing with law enforcement and other magical words and artwork.
Page after page of empowerment!
Beast Grrl #3
In this issue, a few of the teen writers attended Slut Walk, which inspired the theme of this issue to be the Action Issue. This issue has more articles than the previous two: about self-image and the media, The Paycheck Fairness Act (that Republican’s blocked), Tips on using the media for activist purposes, as well as doing tangible, in the street protesting, Street Harassment, Hollaback, the label “feminist” and why we need feminism. – Cindy Crabb
Beast Grrl #4
The theme of this issue is “REAL”. Articles, art and stories about being yourself, about “real” feminism, school uniforms, conformity and more. – Cindy Crabb
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“As we come into the new year, we’re thinking about all the things we’ve accomplished, and all the people we’re grateful for. Because really, it’s pretty crazy that we’ve been able to make five issues of this thing. As we’ve gone along, we have found an amazing community of people who are excited about what we’re doing, and even better, excited about getting involved. ONe of the reasons that we created Beast Grrl is that we didn’t feel like we had a community where we could talk about feminism. As we’ve grown, we’ve been able to form a community of our own. We met an awsome girl, Michelle, who formed a zine support group where we met so many new cool people. Zinester Marc Calvery gave us tons of support and awarded us ‘The AxP Cut to Bleed Award for 2014’ in the Art Exchange Program grant. A gallery that sells our zine, Terrault Contemporary, agreed to host a release party for zine five. And when we put out the word that we were looking for submissions for this very issue, we recieved a ton of responses from you all, especially on Tumblr. We’v found a space where we aren’t alone. where everyone is open, excited, enthusiastic, and passionate. In the name of the great community we’ve found, this issue of Beast Grrl is dedicated to everyone.”
“For this issue, we were thinking about the future– What’s coming? Who’s coming? How does our past inform our future? As usual, every contributor has given her own original perspective in poetry, essay, or artwork. As Beast Grrl Zine travels into the future, we’re thinking about where we’re going. What does the future hold for us? Well, we’re interested in expanding what the Beast Grrl name means. We’ve realized this month that we don’t want to stop at publishing a zine, and we haven’t we’re planning events and project like “Code Red”, a drive to collect sanitary products for women experiencing homelessness, which launched this month at BSA, a Baltimore high school. We’re excited to explore the ways that feminism can interact with service and activity, so stay tuned for more projects in the future! But we haven’t just recognized our potential, we’d also like you to recognize yours. We love hearing from new readers almost as much as we love submissions from new contributors, so please get in touch!”
“Four months ago, while we were discussing the theme of this issue, justice was the biggest thought on our minds. Baltimore city was erupting in protests after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who suffered a spinal cord injury and died while in police custody. We were horrified, but not surprised. We’d long since recognized that we live in a society that doesn’t value justice.
This issue started as a reaction to those feelings, and grew into what you see here. In the months since Freddie Gray’s death we’ve seen more violence towards black people from police officers, including an attack on a teenage girl, Dajeerria Becton; a shooting at a historically black church that left nine people dead; and, in our own city, violence that has drastically increased.
We are celebrating as gay marriage was legalized across the United States and watched with excitement as Caitlyn Jenner started a conversation in the mainstream news media about what it means to be transgender. Our country is pulling closer and closer to justice in some areas, but in others, it seems like justice is only getting further away.
This issue is for the marginalized groups, for groups that have to fight for justice. It features interviews with leaders in Baltimore’s feminist community, information on using personal pronouns, poetry, and art. We hope that you enjoy the ‘Justice’ issue of Beast Grrl.”
“We are excited to give you this zine full of work inspired by the theme ‘idol’. We’ve been thinking a lot about how we live in a time of really powerful and inspiring women and we wanted to make a zine to honor them. Women like Nicki Minaj, Tavi Gevinson, Lavernne Cox, and Amandla Stenberg all inform our feminism, and are a big part of why we wanted to make Beast Grrl.”
Billie Rain
Talking to spirits
Child Abuse, Violence against Women and Children, Sexual Abuse, Ritual abuse, Survival, Healing, Poetry, Activism
I write this without a mothertongue
Perzine, Abuse, Child abuse, Survival, Ethnicity, Resistance, Poetry
My silence was golden, but now it’s gone
Child Abuse, Ritual Abuse, Violence against Women and Children, Sexual Abuse, Survival
“i’ve got angels in my head” – 1996 zine about Dissociative Identity Disorder
a friend of mine may be has multiple personality disorder. Sometimes I try and think that we all just have different personalities inside of us, and maybe hers are just more extreme. …The zine helped me to understand that what she is dealing with is really different from me, and that it probably isn’t helpful for me to minimize her experience. That there are ways I can relate my experiences without minimizing hers. Sometime I just want everything to be not so hard. I don’t want to accept that my friends have been through such terrible shit, even though I know they have. I recomend this zine, even if you don’t know anyone with multiple personalitys. It also has things that are good for understanding abuse survivors in general, and helpful things for survivors. – Cindy Crabb
Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse, Rape, Torture, Survival, Violence against Women, Mental Health, Multiple Personality Disorder
Poet tongues on fire (2002)
Billie Rain & Basil (Shadid)
Poetry, LGBT, Queer issues
Butterfly Girl 2001
Perzine, Abuse, Survival, Mental / Physical Health, Disease, FMS Fibromyalgia
Caprice 2000 (?)
Perzine, Ritual abuse, Sexual Abuse, Child abuse, Survival, Mind control, Torture, Rape, Violence, Incest, Poetry
Strength 2000 (?)
Child Abuse, Violence against Women and Children, Sexual Abuse, Ritual Abuse, Survival, Healing, Mental Health, Disability, Dissociative identity disorder, Depression, Post traumatic stress disorder, Poetry, Class, Self injury, Riot Grrrl, Activism
Epiphany 2000
Perzine, Ritual abuse, Sexual Abuse, Child abuse, Survival, Rape, Violence, Incest
Learning to fly (1998)
Perzine, Sexual Abuse, Ritual Abuse, Child Abuse, Survival, Healing, Mental Health, Violence against Women, Family
Challenging Racism Resource Booklet (1999)
Racism, White Supremacy, White Privilege, Whiteness
Smother Love (1998)
Child Abuse, Ritual Abuse, Mother abuse, Sexual Abuse, Survival, Healing
From a Wounded Woman (1997)
Child Abuse, Violence against Women and Children, Sexual Abuse, Ritual abuse, Survival, Classism
I Know What You Did To Me 1996 (?)
Perzine, Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse, Ritual Abuse, Survival, Torture, Rape, Race, Ethnicity, Racism
Cross My Heart (hope to die) 1994
Perzine, Violence, Ritual Abuse, Child Abuse, Incest, Rape, Survival
I Love You More 1993
Sexual abuse, Child Abuse, Rape, Survival
BloomerZine
Bloomer zine #1Bloomer is a personal and political zine full of prose, stories, and images.
This issue features:
– A review of “Blankets”, a graphic novel by Craig Thompson
– A review of six great pop-punk bands
– Anecdotes of heartbreak and personal growth
– Anecdotes of political injustice and social change
– A feature article on “hip style” and humility
– A feature article on the radical scene of West Bend, WI
– A quote by Barbara Kingsolver
– More!
Brian J. Solem / Brianna Dearest
The magic of being in a band with folks who are relatively new to their instruments and learning together, being a second generation punk, pain and abuse, support and what it looks like, stories about their dad, friends, bikes.
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“I think disclosure’s frightening for anyone telling anyone (else) about their past…” Struggling with suicidal thoughts, therapy being pushied on them after their father died (age 13) and later attending radical mental health collective meetings. Surviving a sexual and emotionally abusive relationship trying to access therapy and it being shitty. Finally finding a good therapist who understands how trauma lives in the body, how to listen to our inner voices, embracing imperfections.
Typed on a beautiful handwritting manual typewriter. Writing about therapy and developmental trauma, and trying to let in good feelings like the beautiful moments from Girls Rock Camp
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Motor City Kitty Issue #22 / 20 pgs / 5.5″ x 4.25″
Written in late July of 2013 and assembled while on a Greyhound bus headed towards the third annual DC Zine Fest, this tiny (but text heavy) issue focuses on a breakdown and a breakup. Bri discusses dealing with months of depression while moving several times, traveling, and having her heart broken.
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Issue #21 / 20 pgs / 8.5″ x 7″ /
“Tour zine! This one is half-legal size and falls somewhere between perzine, tour diary, and comic. I know how much work went into it, because I saw Bri diligently writing and drawing (and agonizing) at the Tulip Farm over the course of her five-week stay here. It’s all about touring via Megabus, zine readings and friendship, depression and anxiety, navigating trying situations as a feminist and a survivor of abuse, and makin’ it through yet another winter.” (Description by Amber Dearest)
Issue #20 / 40 pgs / 5.5″ x 4.25″ /
“Bri put this issue together just before embarking upon a zine tour, which brought her from Cleveland, Ohio, up to Montréal – to see me! Some of the main themes running through this issue are friendship, family, and the future, with Bri answering questions from Telegram #25 about her goals and her ideal life. She writes also about being a survivor of abuse, while also being involved in a relationship with someone who is going through an accountability process – I can only imagine how difficult this was to write, and how vulnerable she must feel sharing these thoughts with us. I know that it’s something so important to talk about, too. Like, once a person has been called out, what is the next step? And what does it means for those who are close to them? How can we end cycles of abuse?” (Description by Amber Dearest)
Issue #19 / 48 pgs / 5.5″ x 4.25″ / $3 US PPD
“I love this zine. It’s collected stories about her family and her relationship to them, and different forms of grief, plus some lighter stories about music love and fandom. This zine has a really brave and powerful story about her father dying of a heroin overdose when she was 13 – and about their relationship – stories about him, about realizing he was an addict, and her working to accept his death.” (Description by Cindy Crabb)
Issue #18 / 56 pgs / 5.5″ x 4.25″ /
“This is a MIGHTY issue of Motor City Kitty. It mostly chronicles Bri going on tour of the midwest US with her then-partner’s band. It’s written mostly in the form of a journal, type written with drawings and pictures scattered around. There are stories of more or less successful shows, eating on the road, idiots and nice people and much more. There is also a piece on Slutwalk Cleveland and a goodbye to Kent, Ohio, where she had been living for the past seven years.” (Description by Tukru)
Issue #17 / 24 pgs / 5.5″ x 4.5″ /
“This little but full zine has writing on the cultural influences Bri feels [she] has inherited from her parents, the second part of an article called ‘Feminist Killjoy’ about [arguing] with a sexist person (don’t worry though, you needn’t have read the first part, which is in Motor Ciy Kitty #16), tokenising isms, things Bri likes and dislikes about herself, and attending an emotionally charged gig on the anniversary of her father’s death. This zine is wonderfully written, intimate and has one of the most beautiful layouts I’ve seen in a long while: typewritten, some handwritten and some wonderful drawings throughout. Every page a delight!” (Description by Em)
Activist Journeys 