One of Us

what are zines?

Zines are a space to ask questions and explore. The subculture comes from a history of making fanzines which are miniature self-published magazines. Zines are distributed by a community of zinesters, radical thinkers who share counter-cultural ideas from personal perspectives in zines known as perzines.

The zines in the One of Us archive offered a space to learn more about what women experience as they negotiate with the ‘real’ world through their reflections and representations using the portability of technology. It is difficult to reflect on the work that a little compact mirror can do embedding itself in your consciousness. I have had to trace the boundaries of the practicality of transformation by what I have learned about taking care of myself. I have had to separate care for the self from the ideals. These are only authenticated and perpetuated as real and normal by companies because they want to sell products.

Use zines

for self care

One of Us is introspection and self-care laid out in the pages of a zine. The act of care and knowing the self is not in the possession of tools accumulated on the body, but in how you use those tools. A zine in One of Us is a consideration of how human action in safer alternative spaces can mediate ways of being using objects and technologies that create disidentifying moments. The zines in the archive were conceptualised through conversations with transgender women in South Africa. The zines offered a space to learn more about what women experience as they negotiate with the ‘real’ world through their reflections.

It takes time to develop an affinity for zines and to invent your own visual language. Zines are a DIY disclosure strategy that gives its participant the editorial power and space to make decisions on content, style, and publicity.

In the pages, you can practice a conscious ritual of becoming by verifying whether you are fit to confront the ‘real’ world on your own terms.