This zine focuses on feminism and the body, sexuality, and the media. Heather is trying to fill in the gaps left by Ms., Bitch, and Bust, and it is her goal to find a balance between the academic lens and just-your-regular-ol’-Jill’s insight. She touches on deconstruction of ads (the pluses and minuses), women’s health and fitness (looking for investors to launch a feminist health/fitness mag), plastic surgery, body hair, and fat phobia. You know, all those issues we don’t need fiber to think regularly about. I was worried, at first, that she would take us back down the road to second-wave critiques, but MacLean steered in a more modern direction, and let us in on her internal debate. I enjoyed her reviews, and that she presented several angles in this task-for example, she offers both the “brainy review” and “pervy review” of Brokeback Mountain. She also delves into the Dove ads-you know, the ones with the average ladies posing in their gotchies-and yes, she agrees they’re nice to see, but notes the craftiness of the underhanded marketers using feminist ideology to sell their frickin’ firming lotion. Enjoyable read. (heze douglas)
Zine, #2, The Body Issue, Heather MacLean, $1 or trade [no longer available]