By Nicole Findlay
In/Words, Blank Page, Mot Dit, and the Chapbook Project welcome a sister publication to the collection. The first student produced feminist magazine, Vagina Dentata, was recently launched in a joint initiative between students of the Department of English and the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s Studies.
Vagina Dentata was created by Amanda Besserer, an MA student in the Department of English, and the only female editor of another student publication in/words. “I believe creative writing to be an empowering experience that is imperative to understanding how literature works,” said Besserer. “Often when we study literature, we divorce ourselves from the production of it. I find this very sad.”
While her participation in in/words provided her with a creative outlet, she wanted to provide a vehicle that would give voice to writers concentrating on themes relating to feminism. She recruited Anna Sajecki, with whom she had worked in the English Literary Society, Ashley Simpson was also involved with in/words projects and graphic designer, Maria Vicente. Other contributors were introduced to the project through Collett Tracey, an instructor in the Department of English.
Among the students introduced by Tracey was Jesslyn Smith who then participated in the creation of the inaugural edition of Vagina Dentata. Smith says the project gave her an opportunity to hone her writing and editing skills – outside of the classroom, for the duration of her four-year undergrad. The magazine also provides her with an artistic outlet to both address and showcase feminist ideas.
“I hope that readers will gain insight to many different feminist perspectives from the women’s writing, or writing by men about women’s issues,” said Smith. “I want them to realize that “feminism” does not have a specific definition, and I want people to be able to relate to the articles in the magazine.”
Vagina Dentata will be published once each semester and made available through newsstands located in the tunnels, unicentre, and the offices of PJIWS and English. Additionally, copies are available by emailing vaginadentatamag@yahoo.com. A web-zine is also in the works. Students are encouraged to email their submissions of poetry, prose, academic articles and visual art on topics relating to feminism, womanhood and gender relations for publication in future magazines.