Pen-Elayne on the Web

Women's Online Media - And Oh Yeah, Blogs

Came across an article on AlterNet entitled Internet Breathes New Life into Women's Media, but even though the third paragraph begins Even with the blossoming online 'zines, journals and blogs (Web logs), the environment for feminist media is harsh most of it talks about what I'm increasingly thinking of as Yesterday's Media. Now, I'm very fond of paper publications, they give me something to read on the subway and goodness knows I've written to and for a number of them (not for pay, mind you, but as the article does note so much of feminism is volunteerism anyway). And I'm saddened that Sojourner bit the big one too, and that Bluestockings is closing here in NYC. But I look at all those women in the middle of that sidebar, the two groups from Blogsisters on down, and I'm really not as concerned about the continuance of feminist media - I mean, there it is! - as I am about the seeming inability of some feminists to embrace it more, acknowledge it as where we're going in terms of organizing and community and access and instant knowledge and, darn it, empowerment. I think this is so on the cultural front as well; I see so much more energy and enthusiasm among feminists who use e-mail lists, websites, blogs, online publications, message boards, etc. for consciousness-raising and increasing visibility and gathering resources and making strong connections and increasing self-education than among those who shy away from such methods due to skepticism or technophobia or maybe even stubbornness. Like all things worth fighting for, equality is an uphill struggle, and I'm saddened by those who want to make it harder on themselves by not taking advantage of every tool available for that struggle.