What do you do when the mainstream media doesn’t represent your needs, interests or desires; when you can’t find your people and you’re living in a pre-internet world but still want to connect far and wide? Get busy, of course, making zines, and creating the world you want to see!
During the zine-making heyday of the 1990s, LGBTQIA zinesters showed up on the page to critique the mainstream with irreverent, unapologetically queer points of view. Sexuality was at the forefront in these bold and in-your-face zines which provided a crucial outlet for sharing information and igniting activism during the height of the AIDS crisis. Zines were also a vital part of emerging queer club and music scenes, especially queer punk music, often known as queercore. Using paper, scissors, staples, glue and the copy machine, of course, LGBTQIA zine makers utilized DIY (do it yourself) techniques to get their voices out into the world and in doing so, filled a void for readers hungry for a queer alternative to a culture of censorship and repression. Contemporary LGBTQIA zinesters continue this important form of self-expression into the present day.
Get Busy provides a sampling of zines from SFPL collections, starting with early gay and lesbian publications from the 1960s, moving through the prolific 1990s scene and bringing it into the present with examples of contemporary work. The zines on display are from the Little Maga/Zine Collection, Book Arts & Special Collections; the Hormel LGBTQIA Archives; the San Francisco History Center Periodical Collection; on loan from SF Zine Fest; and on loan from Kevin Darling.
Opening Program and Reception: Come together to celebrate the Hormel LGBTQIA Center's new exhibit, Get Busy: LGBTQIA Zines from the Bay and Beyond. Enjoy zine-making with SF Zine Fest, button-making and light refreshments.