Maria Wurtz is just your typical college student… if by typical you also mean the founder and editor-in-chief of an increasingly popular feminist magazine. Intrigued and inspired by her tenacity, I talked to Maria about motivation, what it means to be female, and the recent election. From her answers, it’s clear that regardless of political, social, or internal climate, women will always retain the power to rise.
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HC: To start off, could you explain Sugar Magazine and how it started?
MW: As an artist, when you have something to say, there is nothing else to do except get to work! As an artist, I knew I had something to say that needed to be heard. I knew that millions of girls around the world had something to say that needed to be heard. I wanted to be the person I needed when I was younger. I wanted to be the voice for us all. So, I had mentioned this to my college professor, who then asked me to do an Independent Study with her my last semester. We then brainstormed some ideas, and decided to create an Intersectional Feminist magazine. That’s how it all began! I now work with two brilliant co-editors, Lydia Wang and Ray Carroll, who I could not live without. For those wondering what Sugar is all about, let me remind you that this is a magazine for art, for writing, for those in recovery, for girls who’ve been shamed for living too loudly or too quietly, for taking up space or feeling too deeply. This is for everyone. This is for us.
HC: What was your motivation to start a feminist magazine? Where do you hope this one will go?
MW: My motivation all began with The Punk Singer, a documentary on Kathleen Hanna, one of the greatest feminist activists, musicians, and punk zine writers of all time. Hanna really inspired me to get involved in activism and to have my voice heard. She had a huge role in this radical punk girl revolution known as the Riot Grrrl movement, and I became absolutely obsessed. I was inspired and motivated. When I came across the riot grrrl mini zines that were being created in the early 90s, I decided I needed to create a safe place for women, and that’s when the idea of my own magazine fell into place. From there, I ran with ideas, but my eating disorder also was a huge factor. I was sick of the self-loathing and unrealistic body standards that have been shoved down our throats for years. I was sick of the way we, as women, are told we should look, or how we should dress, how we should act. I guess I was just sick of the fact that every woman, at some point in her life, has stood in front of a mirror and used the dreaded word, fat, to describe how she looked and felt about herself. I needed to push through recovery and stress to women that our bodies are powerful, and body image has this power of uniting us. Sugar is a big fuck you to everything we’ve been taught. This is where we can all relate. This is where I find the importance of women standing together. With Sugar, I aim to remind young women that we stand for matters so much more than our bodies. This is how I found myself healing and recovering from my eating disorder. I hope that all women can do the same.
HC: Your magazine’s primary foundation is various forms of art with a focus on women, allowing expression and representation for a group that often does not receive it. However, society has a tendency to trivialize art, especially in its educational systems where STEM is so constantly held as a priority. In your opinion, why is the preservation of art important, particularly for identifying females?
MW: It breaks my heart to see art being taken from students around the world. Art is the only way I think, as humans, we can really bring awareness to what’s going on around us and change the world. It’s a healthy way for us to express ourselves. It’s so important to preserve, especially for identifying females, because the art world is such an open world. A world that is open minded and welcoming. It has a way of making you feel like you belong. It has a way of giving you a voice. The beauty of art is that there is no wrong or right way to create it. I think it gives us hope that there is more to life than a boring classroom full of students who may not be as creative or ambitious or passionate as we are. As a female artist who found art to be her career, I think we need to teach women that this is a place for them. A safe place for them. If I wasn’t exposed to art in a way that I was when I was younger, I’m not too sure where I’d be right now.
HC: What does being a woman mean to you?
MW: This is such a difficult question because to me, being a woman means so much. Through recovery and the launch of Sugar Magazine, I’ve come across the strongest women I’ve ever known and these women continue to empower me everyday. To me, being a woman means being resilient. We are fighters. We are survivors. We are powerful, inspiring, brilliant, and beautiful. We are brave. But, I also think being a woman means being vulnerable. We are emotional. We are scared. We are mentally ill. We are happy. We are sad. We are frustrated and distraught and dramatic. We are lovers. We are mothers. We are sisters and we are friends. As women, we have this unbelievable power that allows us to push through every obstacle ever thrown our way. We won’t stop fighting because, all in all, we are human.
HC: Along with art, mental illness is another facet of life that is often trivialized. As an artist with a mental illness, this combined fact can sting for me from time to time, as I’m sure it does for others in the same position. You often discuss your recovery from your eating disorder (which, by the way, is incredibly inspiring and I commend you for), and I know many of the features in Sugar also deal with this topic. For others struggling with a mental illness, what do you recommend as methods for expressing/opening up a discourse about their battle?
MW: Recovery has been one of the scariest choices I’ve ever made. When you are battling any mental illness, making the decision to recover and rid yourself of that illness is horrifying, yet the most rewarding decision you will ever make. For those battling any mental illness, whether it be an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, or whatever, I beg you to immerse yourself in art and love. To find a community that welcomes you with open arms and makes you feel special. A community that gives you a voice. Find someone or something that stands with you and supports you and will hold your hand through the hardest times. Write about it. Make art about it. Go to therapy. Join a therapy group. Open yourself to a whole new world full of like-minded people. It is cathartic. I’m not here to tell you doing that is easy, but I am here to tell you that it is worth it. Don’t be scared. You can change the world.
HC: You’re clearly a very driven and passionate person. Despite social progress, women with similar passion to yours can sometimes be discouraged from beginning their own projects, either due to the perceived expectations of those around them, or due to their own insecurities. What advice do you give to women too afraid to pursue their ambition?
Ladies, listen up! On the count of three, I’m going to ask you all to scream! To scream for yourself. To scream for each other. To scream for your rights and anger and frustration and love. There is a song lyric by Ani DiFranco that says, “Silence is violence in women and poor people, if more people were screaming, than I could relax.” I look back at this quote every so often when I am feeling uninspired and afraid. I ask you ladies to let this lyric remind you of who you are and why you are here. Passion is a beautiful thing. Why would you waste that? There is no better time than now to chase your dreams, pursue your ambitions, and prove to every single asshole who thought you were anything less than perfect that you can do anything you set your heart and mind to. If I was too afraid to pursue my ambition, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If you are afraid, you are letting them win. It is time to create and inspire. It is time to do what you love and to follow your dreams. It is therapeutic, and it is life changing.
HC: So far, we have been discussing women and their empowerment. However, in light of the recent election, many women are feeling this empowerment is farther than it had originally seemed. Do you mind sharing your thoughts?
MW: I could go on for years about my feelings on the election, but, I’ll just say I am heartbroken. My heart hurts. I’ve cried for two days straight. As a woman on Tuesday morning, I woke up terrified. I woke up crying. I woke up and thought of the beautiful LGBTQ community. I woke up and thought of my black and brown friends, my Muslim friends, my disabled friends, my non-binary friends, my female friends. I thought of all the young boys and girls. I thought of rape victims, victims of sexual assault, and hate crimes. I thought of myself and my future. I woke up terrified for us, but I remembered why I created Sugar Magazine in the first place. At first, I felt totally discouraged. I thought to myself, wow, my co-editors and I dedicate our lives fighting the patriarchy and creating a safe place for all of us to express ourselves and now we will all live in fear for the next four years. But, we didn’t come this far just to come this far. We didn’t create Sugar Magazine for nothing. We may have taken 50 years worth of steps backwards last night, but we will fight no matter what it takes. We are strong. We are resilient. We stand together. I won’t stop fighting for you.
HC: We made it to the end! Thank you so much for doing this interview. As a bonus question, where can Her Campus readers find Sugar Magazine?
MW: Yay! Thank you, readers, for getting all the way through. I hope you’re feeling inspired. Her Campus readers can find Sugar Magazine online at blurb.com, or they can contact us via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Our social media handles are:
i: @thesugarmag
t: @thesugarmag
f: @thesugarmag
Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments via email at maria@thesugarmag.com