“Isn’t it a bit sexist to write for an exclusively female magazine?”
This is something my best friend asked me recently and it really got me thinking. Why was it that I had decided to write for Her Campus above all the other journalism options? Why was I okay with what appeared to be exclusion of male voices from a feminist magazine?
Thinking back to the Freshers’ fair only a couple of months ago, I was curious as to what drew me towards this magazine above all the others. Others certainly had more acclaim or a niche, satirical angle that could have been enticing, yet I gravitated towards Her Campus. I believe it is this same gravity which draws readers into our magazine.
There is something about having a female space that really resonates with so many of us. I see it in gym classes, female discussion groups and, evidently, magazines. A strong female community which supports and uplifts its members is something which cannot be underestimated and I think it is a very powerful and comfortable space in which to reside. Spending time with other editors in this magazine and speaking to other like-minded women creates a very strong bond and inspires a certain form of creativity and discourse that might not be present in other forms of journalism.
Pertaining to the idea that this could be viewed as sexist, I believe that much can be said for positive discrimination. Female writers spent so long being ignored and passed up in favour of male contributors that having an exclusively female space cannot be too much of a bad thing. The literary canon was devoid of a female voice for too long and thus elevating and emphasising it is definitely constructive.
As a young woman potentially hoping to foray into the world of journalism after graduation, having female journalists to look up to has always been very important for me and if some of the writers of this magazine can fill this role for other women then it is certainly worthwhile. In an industry which, akin to many others, is dominated by male figures, having a plethora of intelligent, eloquent women is truly amazing.
There are also such a wide variety of issues which female writers want to explore yet are unable to due to due to commissions and quotas; this space gives them the freedom to write from a female perspective on a variety of female and genderless issues without judgment or fear of losing their personal voice. There are many magazines which would not allow me to write so candidly on period poverty or even deconstruct the magazine itself in the meta way I currently am. This is the crux of the importance of female journalism – giving women the freedom to write on any female-related issues. Female knowledge and expertise are vital in providing authenticity and validity to many topics, as well as necessary emotion and sensitivity in describing personal instances of misogyny.
In a world where so much of journalism is filtered through male voices and cover photos are adjusted to fit the male gaze, a space to encourage intellectual, thought provoking writing from women is not something which can be underestimated and is a movement I can definitely get behind.