[zora]

I really do miss the old Bust. I liked reading articles written by people around the country. And the Boy De Jour article seems like Cosmo's "Guy With out His Shirt" page. I liked the old issues with the collum written by a man, (I can't remember if it was the same guy every time.) As weird as this sounds, I buy the magazine for Ayun Halliday's piece every time. I love her to pieces. She just writes so well. But, yeah. I want to see more of the feminism in Bust. And less of the knitting. I'd like to see a crochet craft featured. Remember the article they did on chinese punk bands? That was awesome! I had no idea punk was in style in China.
I'd also want to see the themed issues coming back.
And I'd really like to see an article on where music is going, music featuring women. I was thinking about it the other night when I saw this local band play. The women rapped about sex and danced around is scant clothes. I was thinking about how that used to be a big deal. Like when Peaches arrived on the scene and everyone freaked out. I'm not really a Peaches fan, I haven't heard much of her music.
But still. It seems relevent.
A reproductive issues Issue would be grand. I hope they come out with one. And Betty Page? Feh.

[anoushh]

I don't think what I read as an intelligent commentary on the magazine--whether or not I agree with any or all of it--should be blithely dismissed as "getting all pissy." That sounds really belittling, and I don't understand why that feels necessary.

I am having increasing problems with the magazine, and right now I have sitting on my desk a renewal notice that for the first time ever I'm debating about.

Betty Dodson is really, really bothering me. I was all full of respect for her historical importance, etc, and maybe it's just now that I"m paying more attention, but either her advice has always been full of crap, or it's getting worse and I jsut havn't noticed until now.

The one that stands out for me was the repeated refusal to understand--or listen to people trying to explain--the difference between a baterial and a fungal infection, and just perpetuating her error.

Also, she's not an MD--maybe if you don't know consulting with a medical person would be a good idea?

There are other things she's said that have really irritated me but off the top of my head I can't remember enough details to illustrate here. But it does seem like she's got a one none answer for everything, and if it doesn't fit, well, too bad--she'll make it fit.

She really needs to go.

The recent issue really bothered me with yet another depiction (in the fashion pages) of smoking as some kind of "cool" accessorizing. Um, excuse me? Yeah, equality is the right to be just as manipulated by evil tobacco companies as men, but you know what? Knock it off.

And I was really stunned--and not happy--about the use of the word "pimping" in some kind of "making something cool" context. WTF?

I'm tired of seeing abusing women as some kind of harmless, even cool thing, and just b/c this term has entered popular culture doesn't make it less innocuous to me. If anything it's more dangerous when we let stuff like this slip.

I don't expect Bust to have the depth of analysis that something like Bitch does, and thats fine. It can be enough to have a "regular" magazine that I can read without cringing and wanting to throw up--the way Cosmo and pretty much all the others make me feel. But is this any better than some of the stuff in the "regular" magazines out there?

And yes, more queer and fat positive is needed. I agree.