Feminism: Belief in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.
“Zines”: Short for magazines and usually refers to self-published, independent online publications.
Cal Poly English professor Brenda Helmbrecht will be leading a discussion today focusing on the true meaning of feminism and the politically charged magazines that “enrage, offend, cajole and motivate readers to bring about social and political change in their – lives,” representatives from the women’s studies program said.
“There is No ‘I’ in Grrrrl: The Bustin’ and Bitchin’ Rhetoric of Third-Wave ‘Zines'” attempts to define and discuss the rhetorical styles and goals of modern feminist magazines and other media.
“The magazines are irreverent and sometimes they’re even offensive. They make critiques about culture and gender in today’s society,” Helmbrecht said.
She added that unlike many popular magazines on newsstands today, which have a tendency to objectify and demean women, feminist “Zines,” like “Bitch” and “Bust,” try to convey feminist beliefs and women’s issues in a more positive light.
The talk will also explore the on-going influence feminism has on politics and visual media, as well as the evolving role of third-wave feminists.
“A lot of people misunderstand the meaning of the word feminist and/or feminism, but that’s not always their own fault. The media conveys a very negative image of feminism – there’s even the highly offensive term ‘feminazi,'” she said.
“I think the role of third-wave feminists is to redefine the term so it’s really a positive idea. And I think a lot of young women and men are doing that today,” she added.
The talk will be held in the business building, Room 112 from 11 a.m. to noon. There is no charge to attend the event.