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Women's History Through Zines: Home

 

Access Services Librarian

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Shana Higgins
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History of Zines

Early zines circulated in science fiction fan culture in the 1930s.

In the 1950s and 1960s there was an underground press that connected counterculture groups across the United States.

Art and literary magazines of the 1960s and 1970s were often independently published, cheaply printed, and circulated in niche communities.

The punk scene of the 1980s and the riot grrrl, feminist punk movement, of the 1990s exponentially grew the self-published and distributed genre of zines.

 

What is a zine?

"A zine, short for fanzine or magazine, is a DIY* subculture self-publication, usually made on paper and reproduced with a photocopier or printer. Zine creators are often motivated by a desire to share knowledge or experience with people in marginalized or otherwise less-empowered communities."

"What is a zine?" Zine Basics. The Milstein Center for Teach and Learning, Barnard College. 

Zines (pronounced "zeen") are:

  • Independently published and distributed
  • Non-profit, non-commercial, low-budget, made for and with love
  • Small batch
  • A genre for sharing ideas and tell stories that aren't represented in mainstream publishing (print and other media)

 

In the early ’90s, when riot grrrl was just gaining momentum, zines played a crucial role. At first, zines were the only form of media reporting on riot grrrl bands, meetings and political organizing. And for many young women, self-publishing was a lot more accessible than starting a band.

Episode 3: Start a zine!: How zines fit in the riot grrrl movement. Starting a Riot. [Podcast.] Oregon Public Broadcasting. 2023

 

Zines: The Power of DIY Print is a short documentary available on Youtube and featured on USC's IMPACT: http://impact.uscannenberg.org/. 

 

But I Love The Zine, a film by Fiona MacDougall  KQED Truly CA. But I Love The Zine explores the thriving zine scene in the San Francisco Bay Area. To devotees, zines are more than just self-made publications, they're tools for building community and offer an antidote to the disconnectedness of internet culture.