“You don’t have to be anti-man to be pro-woman.” This quote by Jane Galvin Lewis is one that welcomes visitors to Girlspeak, a web-based literary and art ezine that features work from girls ages 12 to 22, though age is not a barrier when it comes to the issues and interests these young women are writing about. From the frustrations and limitations of finding plus-sized clothes, to a history of women Beat writers, to interviews with independent filmmakers, Girlspeak covers wide-ranging topics with an intelligent, political eye. There’s a large poetry section that also offers readers a chance to listen to the work, transforming Girlspeak into an impromptu spoken word platform. Grazing through the online art gallery, some words by Virginia Woolf appeared in the corner: “As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.” It seemed a fitting sentiment knowing that Girlspeak’s contributors have found a platform to let their work reach out as widely as possible. (Liz Worth)
www.youngchicagoauthors.org/girlspeak