Parallel Magazine is a new British feminist magazine. We’re currently working on the first issue, due January 2015.
Parallel is going to be a new women’s magazine that focuses on life through a feminist lens. Aimed at late teenage to young adult women, Parallel hopes to be a magazine that can introduce young women to the concept of feminism through the use of informative articles, which will work alongside references to modern pop culture i.e. music, films, fashion, and art.It will hope to subvert the format of modern celebrity-centric and fashion-oriented magazines in order to discuss relevant issues in modern society.
Parallel will be liberating, and empowering. It will talk about activism and achievements. It will feature strong women who are really making a difference in this world. It will be intersectional in its content, discussing race, gender, sexuality, and disability. The key aim of Parallel is to initiate feminist discussion within mainstream society.
Women’s Magazines are several million pound industry in the UK. With over 200 titles to choose from, women buy on average almost 7 million magazines every month, and 38% of women in the UK trust magazines. And yet magazines that claim to be for women or that are supposedly sex positive are churning out article titles such as “Ten lazy ways to lose weight” or “12 Little Things Every Guy Wants in Bed”. Their cover images are sexualised, their articles are derogatory and weight-obsessed, and their fashion editorials are so photoshopped that even the real life models no longer look like that. They evoke unneeded competition between women. And it isn’t just about body image, the models used, or size zero clothing. It’s about the stories and article written, the way celebrities are scrutinized, and what questions female actors and musicians are asked in their interviews. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be beautiful, desirable, sexy, or trendy, what is problematic is the obsession with these things about all else, to the point where being beautiful is seen as life’s greatest achievement and all else pales in comparison.
So we’ve decided to make a difference, in the form of a new magazine: Parallel. The title is a play on the idea that feminism and modern popular culture are currently running parallel to one another. In order to get feminism into the minds of the mainstream youth, the two things need to intersect and combine. And that’s exactly what we plan to do. Our magazine will cover subjects regarding race, gender, sexuality, age, liberation, women’s rights, activism, disability, and more, all tied up together in an aesthetically pleasing, contemporary women’s magazine. We will subvert the format of ordinary celebrity or fashion magazines to highlight key issues in today’s world. We will interview and talk to influential women about their opinions, highlight key feminist community groups that you could get involved in, and will review, discuss, and critique women’s role in the media.
Parallel Magazine will discuss achievements outside of fashion and beauty, will talk about community and activism and how you, as a woman, can make a change to the world around you. It will focus on everything from art to pop culture to history – all through the viewpoint of a modern young feminist. But we need your help.
In order to get the magazine published, we need a readership, and that starts with you. The first issue is due to be released in January 2015, so effectively your donations will be acting as pre-orders for the magazine. You can either pre-order one issue, or buy a year’s subscription. Each option comes with the choice of no goodie bag, a small goodie bag, or a large goodie bag. For anyone interested in advertising, forming a partnership, or sponsoring us, we would prefer you to contact us before donating any money as we do have terms and conditions. The email address can be found below.
You can also get directly involved in several different ways.
Our first issue is open for submissions on the theme of “Liberation”, and we will accept anything from artwork to creative writing to articles to reviews.
We are currently looking to talk to/feature/review the following people/groups/events:
Female bands/musicians and/or upcoming album releases/gigs
Female art collectives and/or upcoming exhibitions
Feminist activist collectives
Feminist community groups
Independent feminist films
If you have an event you’d either like us to review, or add to our events listing page, please send us an email.
I am #unashamedlyfeminist because…
To show your support to the magazine, send us photos or videos of yourself explaining why YOU are #unashamedly feminist. Your photo or video will be featured on our social media sites, including our blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Sponsor us or partner up with us:
If you want to sponsor us or form a partnership, please send us an email!
To get involved with any of the aforementioned subjects, please email us at [email protected]
What will donations be going towards?
Donations will be going towards several different things that are necessary to launch the magazine. This includes:
travel expenses for interviews and photoshoots
Where can I find more information?
Our social media networks are constantly being updated. They can be found below.
Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr
We will also have Instagram and Youtube channels coming soon!
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