Thru the Fog
Mx. Kat, Issue 1, March 2015, perzine, Queer Trash Distro, $4.29
There is a clarity to Mx. Kat’s writing that intersects beautifully with the zine’s content; a discussion of brain fog and chronic pain. Thru the Fog is a perzine about Kat’s life after a debilitating car accident. Within the black and white text-driven pages, Kat writes about bonding with a personal support worker, winter survival, nightmares and PTSD, consent and (dis)ability, gender and trauma and their feelings about their body. The zine exists as both a narrative exposition on (dis)ableism and an exploration of the practical aspects of living, while tips on occupying your time while housebound intermingle with discussions of bodily autonomy and worthiness. Kat also calls out those who work professionally with people in chronic pain by asking important questions about respect and consent. Most notably, there is a passage about the pervasive absence of consent in emergent medical situations that is immensely thoughtful and necessary. Like a lot of perzines that discuss trauma, recovery, and identity, there are passages that are difficult to read. Those passages make Thru the Fog all the more compelling and a validating read both for people experiencing the same physical realities as Kat and those who love, live or work with someone with a (dis)ability. (CJ Blennerhassett)