Grrrl Zines in the Library

Authors: Jenna Freedman
Published in: Signs, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Autumn 2009), pp. 52–59
DOI: 10.1086/599266
JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/599266

This article by Jenna Freedman explores the importance of preserving and legitimizing zines—particularly feminist, riot grrrl, and youth-authored publications—within academic libraries. Drawing on her work curating the Barnard College zine collection, Freedman outlines how zines challenge institutional norms of authorship, representation, and literary value.

Highlighting zines such as Figure 8, Evolution of a Race Riot, and Boredom Sucks, the article demonstrates how these grassroots works provide insight into third wave feminism, body politics, racial discourse, and teen expression. In one example, the zine Boredom Sucks (#9), titled “Fuck You, High School!”, touches on topics like popularity, gym class, suicide, and harassment—while also referencing the Canadian TV series Degrassi as a cultural touchpoint within the high school experience. The inclusion of themes like abortion, queer identity, and DIY protest culture reflects a commitment to centering voices often absent from mainstream media and academic archives.

Freedman argues that zine collections should be cataloged and made accessible through tools like WorldCat and institutional library systems. She emphasizes their academic value, not just as artifacts of youth culture or punk feminism, but as legitimate materials of scholarly inquiry that diversify the canon of women’s studies and cultural criticism.