One of the queerest things you can do is create a zine.
Zines (stemming from the word magazine) are forms of physical self-made expression and are published independently. They can look like a traditional magazine, a pamphlet, or a mini-booklet with eight pages made from a sheet of paper. They are an accessible, anti-capitalist way to share messages.
During the AIDS crisis in the 80s, zines became widely used in LGBTQ+ circles. With so much homophobia and misinformation, from the government to the news, LGBTQ+ community members created zines to provide factual information on HIV/AIDS and to remind each other they were not alone, they were seen and loved, and that message was shared in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), too.
Pansy Pachanga’s collection, a documentary and archive project of the RGV’s LGBTQ+ community, includes copies of “In Touch,” a monthly bilingual zine-style publication from the early 90s. Members of the RGV-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group called Valley Voice made and distributed the zines at local gay bars. The content included LGBTQ+ news and laws, original poetry, civil rights protection, and the advice column “Just Ask Janis,” where community members could ask questions without facing judgment or scrutiny. Anyone could submit articles, artwork, and poetry to the publication. The zine series was a way to stay connected with other community members, without needing cell service or even a phone, or being publicly out.
In honor of National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11), the 1992 issue reaffirmed that coming out as LGBTQ+ can look different for many people, and all of those ways are valid. Its tagline on the cover was “Come out, come out, wherever you are!”
Now, about 35 years later, the RGV is home to a growing zine community.
Never-Before-Zine is an all-inclusive and autonomous art collective that hosts zine and art-form workshops and celebrates self-expression, with many of its roots in social justice, including art preservation. Artists take turns in facilitating workshops and presenting art techniques.
NBZ’s treasurer and active member Zero (he/they) is a nonbinary artist who says that zines are an art form that is based on the person and not rules; zine-making is inherently queer.
“When it comes to the content of [a zine], it’s very much just entirely up to you, and who you are as a person, what you want to bring to the table to talk about,” he said.
Zines can look different for everyone, and they provide an outlet to make mistakes. Zero additionally describes zine as rooted in self-publishing autonomy, which can resonate more strongly with queer people amid so many laws that restrict such freedoms.
“I can’t even change my fucking gender marker on my passport,” they said. “We have an intense history of gay people, back in the day, had to wear certain amount of clothing that belonged to their “assigned sex,” and so it’s so powerful to have a space where it almost feels untouchable.”
For Zero, the zine collective is a safe space for RGV artists who find it important to foster creating art together in community. When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community and zine scene, the two are linked.
“I would say a lot of us are punk and gay!” they said. “Of course, there’s so much more than that, but that’s the first thing that comes to mind for me.”
For those who are interested in joining NBZ, all are welcome. Send a DM to be added to the member chat. Membership is volunteer-based; “you can participate at your own comfort level,” Zero said.
Even if not an NBZ member, Zero encourages all to experiment with creating a zine. They recommend YouTube zine artist @brattyxbre for resources.
“If […] you just don’t know where to start and want to see examples of the endless possibilities of what a zine can be, look them up on Etsy or anywhere that sells art and has a search engine,” he said. “Let other people’s creativity inspire you! But more importantly, know [that] there’s no rules for zines, so you can’t mess up! Literally do whatever, just make one zine for fun to start and see if you like it! (You probably will).”
And for local zine inspiration, Zero recommends the following artists: @breathingstorm, @snfglu, @s3ntim3ntal.tr4sh.444.u, @la_lunatam, and @palm.tree.popsicle.
