Zine Recommendations

Zine Recommendations
Stacey Greenberg

Baby Bloc is a zine for “Activists in a ‘Family Way’” produced in Tacoma, Washington by Laurel Dykstra and Bruce Triggs. Laurel and Bruce have twin toddlers and their zine focuses on ways that families can safely protest and get involved in activist movements. (Laurel also does some really tiny zines on what it is like to give birth to and raise two girls under age two.) “Baby Bloc” comes with great info, free stickers, and lots of inspiration. Contact babybloc@yahoo.com.

Hausfrau muthah-zine is my latest all time favorite mama zine. It comes from Portland, Maine and is jam packed with great essays, important information, hilarious tales, and silly cartoons. So far Nicole Chaison has put out three must have issues. My favorite feature by far is the “Daily Humiliations.” (#1: “How it came to be that I swallowed a vaginal suppository,” #2 “How it came to be that I sat in cat diarrhea,” #3: “How it came to be that I cleaned maggots out from under the cover of my child’s carseat.”) Sadly this zine only comes out three times a year, but back issues are available. Contact nchaison@gwi.net.

Mamazine is another northeastern zine, this one from Olympia. The four issues I devoured were all from 2002, but I have been told that “Mamazine” is still cranking out new issues. “Fertile Ground” has been described as a hippie zine, but I ain’t got nothing on “Mamazine!” “Mamazine” is a wonderful mix of artwork, poetry, and essays. Essays range from birth stories to interviews to activist manifestos. The coolest thing about this zine is that I get the feeling a lot of people in Olympia read it and use it to build a incredible local mama community. But whether you live in Olympia or not, Mamazine has a lot to offer. Contact olympiamamazine@hotmail.com.

Extra Extra!! BLOG Recommendation!!
Ok so for those of you not in the know, a blog is an online journal. Some blogs are really fancy, some are boring, some are inspiring, etc. There’s one blog I am absolutely hooked on called “Chez Miscarriage” (http://chezmiscarriage.blogs.com/chezmiscarriage/) by a woman known only as “Getupgrrl.” Getupgrrl’s blog details her journey towards motherhood through four miscarriages and failed IVR attempts. I know it doesn’t sound like very uplifting subject matter, but Getupgrrl’s wit and originality make her blog irresistible. In addition to being incredibly funny, it is educational and emotionally gut wrenching at times. It is a must read.