| abstract |
From suffragist pamphlets to riot grrrl lyrics, the independent zine has empowered young
women to create and communicate against political oppression for decades. When the Internet
went public, teenage girls began collaging amateur code and dedicating homepages to gender
defiance. These 'gURL zines' were at the intersection of online art and in-person activism, built
from eager femme participants otherwise virtually excluded. As most eroded under the pressures
of an increasingly commercialized web, said projects have faded into obscurity.
Both technologically novel and historically adapted, their methods of cultural subversion
were highly effective. Carving space for girls online is still a critical mission. This thesis,
founded on historical contextualizing of the World Web evolution, concludes in the creation of a
contemporary gURL zine known as TodaygURL. The multimedia publication acts as both a
tribute and intervention to predecessor media practices, generating a modern gURL community
devoted to intersectionality and empathy, art and activism.
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