call for submissions! hoax #8: feminisms & MYTHOLOGIES

due to recent relocations and upcoming life changes, we have decided to put out a call for submissions for the next issue of hoax although we are still in the process of printing and distributing #7. the topic of hoax #8 will be feminisms and MYTHOLOGIES. we are eager for feminists of all backgrounds & genders to submit!

potential ideas for material include, but are not limited to:

Language: storytelling and folklore (creating and supporting women’s narratives outside of academia / archetypes of men and women / the ways knowledge gets passed down from generation to generation / the role of fantasy in understanding); the academic industrial complex & what types of knowledge / intelligence are valued; transforming language; role of art in modernizing certain myths

History / Culture: when to keep and discard traditions; diaspora & navigating multi-cultural influences or heritage; silence & erasure; modes of survival; whitewashing; term reclamation (who is allowed to use certain terms?); importance of retaining & having access to historical records; reading the past to understand the present & future

Science: resisting biological determinism & essentialism;how scientific narratives influence our understanding of morality and “truths”; ways in which science reaffirms the scripts of kyriarchy (such as GID and the DSM / ties between the “obesity epidemic” and race / views about menstruation); problems within the healthcare system; radical mental health; making science work for people who aren’t straight white western cis men

The Body / The Self: mind-body dualism; body modifications & medical procedures; intentional and/or unintentional politics of bodily presentation; self-determinism & active resistance of dominant narratives; enacting self-care; do we all have a “true self” or “essence” of being?; where the self ends & community begins

Relationships: chosen families; myths about sexuality and sex positivity; consent (expressed vs. body language / legacy of shitty health class information / talking about queer and/or non-normative sex); theories of “otherness”; myths about “diversity” within communities; handling disagreements (“tone arguments” / should a person with a marginalized identity have to “play nice” when talking to somebody who has privilege they don’t have?)

Enacting Change: the white savior complex and career activism / is change quantifiable?; “normative” & expected changes (in terms of personal & community development, growing up, queerness as “a phase,” recovery, etc.); delusions of “progress”; changes that have not necessarily been positive

Visibility / Communication / Media: divisions between public and private; bridging the gap between online & offline communities or experiences; communication & the erotic; media’s (mis)use in social justice circles; intersection between visibility, authenticity, & mimicry; choosing when to “come out” & nuances of disclosure

Legislation: local, state, federal, & global action; mythologies & their influence on policy creation (and vice versa); problems with the nonprofit system; racist ideologies in the prison industrial complex; criminalization of sexual assault; alternatives to the legal system

we also totally need lots of artwork (photos, collages, illustrations, drawings, paintings, comics, etc.), particularly for background designs and things that compliment the written material!

please aim to send us yr amazing material to hoaxzine (at) gmail (dot) com by august 17th, 2012. if you are interested, feel free to e-mail us yr ideas for topics & artwork! as always, we are willing to work with you during any and every stage of the writing process. the sooner you send us yr work, the better!

please note - we edit almost every submission we receive. please be flexible if make changes or we offer suggestions. we won’t print anything without your final approval! also, we ask that contributors use trigger warnings when sending pieces that may be very intense or emotional. one of the benefits of collaborating on this project is that we can split up material that is particularly upsetting or unnerving to either of us. this helps ensure that the reviewing and editing process is emotionally safe and does not interfere with our decision making.

thank you so much to every contributor, reader, & supporter of this zine! we are looking forward to seeing yr work!

in solidarity,
sari & rachel