Month: August 2018

Cats Not Kids 3
Purple Donna
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/purpledonna

Cats Not Kids 3 is an A6 black and white perzine about family planning clinics, contraception, not wanting kids, and more.

Cats Not Kids 3 opens straight off with a piece about spending 17 years on contraception that it turned out Donna didn’t need to take! Talk about getting me feeling angry right from the get go. I’m so sick of doctors who think the pill is the be all and end all of reproductive health. As you can imagine, Donna had a few thoughts to share about the situation.

Donna writes about conversations she’s had with people around not wanting children. (I’ve never felt so grateful that, for the most part, people have left me alone on that front.) She brings up good points like why do people so often say “you’ll change your mind” to people who don’t want to have kids? Why should someone have to share about their infertility – a private health matter – to actually have their decision respected?

Cats Not Kids also has a small comic and some facts about phone phobia that I greatly appreciated (being phobic myself). I didn’t realise the extent to which it is recognised.

I was sad to read the note at the end of the zine that lets the reader know that this is the last of the series – or trilogy, if you will – but such is the way sometimes. I’ve greatly enjoyed all three. If you’re interested in any of the topics I’ve mentioned in the reviews (Cats Not Kids 1, Cats Not Kids 2), I think you will enjoy them, too.

The Stay at Home Girlfriend #17
Kendy P.
https://www.instagram.com/missmuffcake/

The Stay at Home Girlfriend 17 is a half fold black and white perzine of summer musings.

One of the things I always love about Kendy’s zines is the variety. This issue has ‘Stuff I Like’, recipes, an interview, introspective pieces, and adventures in the life of someone who lives with cats. I always know I’ll find all kinds of interesting bits and bobs in this series.

The Stay at Home Girlfriend 17 opens with a picture of Kendy lying spread out on a gravestone and a brief welcome to the zine. I feel like this introduction fits the whole feeling of this zine so well. It introduces you a bit to Kendy as well as makes reading the zine feel like sitting down to a chat with the friend. The little ‘general feeling’ comment while you’re still putting the sugar and the bikkies on the table before getting comfortable.

‘Reflections, Self-Esteem, and the Pursuit of Finding Balance’ is the piece that hit home the most for me in this issue. I’m also a sensitive person and was a very sensitive child, and reading about how our parents’ responses to thing can influence – even as adults – was very valuable and validating for me. This zine was made in 2015, and I found myself wondering if Kendy has been continuing to show herself kindness and patience.

‘Redefining Crazy Cat Lady’ with Jenny Schlueter is a great interview. I love that people are stuffing the ‘crazy cat lady’ stereotype – a stereotype that could have a negative impact on cat adoption. All sorts of people have cats! The interview had a lot of information, too, from what to do if you find a kitten to why you should consider adopting a pair of kittens rather than one alone.

On the topic of cats, I absolutely love Kendy’s practise of sending out small care packages to sick/injured cats. That would have absolutely warmed my heart during my cat Asimov’s multiple surgeries, and reading such acts of kindness is absolutely lovely.

This zine is fun in looks with pictures, stickers, and hand drawn bits and bobs along with the text. Even the pages with primarily text often have little drawn elements or stickers. The beauty is that none of it is visually overwhelming. There is plenty for the eyes to enjoy but equally plenty of white space as well.

The Stay at Home Girlfriend 17 is a lovely perzine about life and cats that touches on serious issues but doesn’t get bogged down by them. If you like vegan recipes, cats, cemeteries, and perzines, you should check this (and the rest of the series) out.