Zine, Aurora Lady , issue 1, auroralady.com, Fair Dig Press. $4
When a present comes wrapped in purple-stained pink tissue, it’s probably worth opening carefully. Truth be told, I picked up this zine not knowing what to expect from the contents. But sometimes you can judge a mystery by its cover. Written by L.A.-based “Creatrix and Girl Pop Visionary” Aurora Lady, Don’t Hide Behind Your Skirt tells the story of Lady’s life with her abusive, gang-related family — her violent, painful experiences with her father and brothers and the massive hole that was left following the untimely death of her mother. From the outset, Lady claims she’s no “Rizzo,” but she shares a tough sweetness with the Grease character. It’s understandable, however, that this Lady would want to disassociate herself from comparisons to the original Mean Girl since she suggests she has spent her adult life doing things that make her happy.
Being happy, of course, doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is forgotten or that Lady doesn’t continue to grieve her mother. An incident where she corrects a well-meaning stranger’s comment— “It’s sad you haven’t seen your father in years” — made me want to scream my encouragement and support. And that’s the strength of Lady’s writing: she reveals enough of the terrible stuff so as to make her point clear, but she doesn’t dwell on the viciousness of the attacks. There’s no glamour in this violence. Fittingly, Lady talks about her teenage consumption of zines and, later, Live Journal in helping her find her community. It’s likely that Don’t Hide Behind Your Skirt will help other young women find their voice, too. (Joanne Huffa)