Why Give to Bitch Media?
Bitch Media is proof that community-supported feminist media is possible. Entering our 15th year, we remain as committed as ever to independent, social justice–driven media and feminist criticism. We aim to do this in print through Bitch: Feminist Response to Popular Culture, as well as online at bitchmedia.org with the blog and podcasts—new programs that offer all the wit and smarts of the magazine, and then some.
Over the past 14 years, our subscribers, donors, and contributors have told us again and again that they don’t just think of Bitch Media as another magazine publisher/media organization. They consider us part of their education, their community, and their life. Here’s what some of them have to say about Bitch Media...
“...Bitch magazine is the consistently insightful, original, and reliable source of feminist cultural criticism out there.” -Anonymous
“I may not always agree with everything, but I read it all, and I really, really appreciate learning about issues, viewing new perspectives, and that no matter what, you never dumb it down.” -Michelle
“Your magazine consistently expands and challenges my thinking. I am a better woman because of you.”
-Brittany
“I use articles from Bitch in my introductory composition classes every semester.” -Anne
“Thank you thank you thank you for existing. You ignite my interest and passion in understanding our culture from the BITCH perspective. MY perspective.” -Carolyn
“It’s so, so wonderful to have something that really does act upon the mission it states--and to know there ARE women out there who take issue with the way women are portrayed in advertising and pop culture. This subversive voice is much needed in our media!” -Alison
“...I feel connected to a larger movement by my connection to Bitch readers and the various viewpoints expressed in the magazine.” -Beth
Because our constituents attest to it, we feel confident saying that the voice of Bitch Media—a witty, smart, and thought-provoking feminist critique and analysis of pop culture—is encouraging discussion and critical thinking about the media and its influence on all of us, solidifying a link between engagement with pop culture and engagement in social-justice activism.
The past few years have been a time of flux, both for Bitch and for the magazine industry in general. It’s a heartless world out there on the newsstand, and more and more magazines simply aren’t surviving. We’ve been lucky enough to weather distribution troubles, a free-falling economy, and at least two rounds of proclamations that the end of print is nigh, and against all odds we’re still here. But in order to continue to sustain the magazine, our multimedia programs, and Bitch Media’s operations for 15 more years (and hopefully many more), we are planning for the organization’s smarter and more sustainable future. We are working to increase subscriptions and fundraising income in response to an era where declining newsstand sales are something no publication can ignore. When we say sustainable, we mean it. Our goal is not to grow our programs at this time, but to maintain their quality and keep them coming!
Readers of Bitch, those that engage in our other programs, and all of our supporters have told us overwhelmingly that they rely on Bitch Media as an organization that...
• Delivers smart, witty, and thought-provoking feminist commentary on and analysis of TV, film, music, advertising, activism, books, blogs, and much more.
• Offers whip-smart critical essays, thoughtful reported pieces, timely blog topics, incisive reviews, and interviews with feminist artists, thinkers, culture-makers, and activists...in print, online, and in regular podcasts.
• Encourages dialogue about the messages we get through the media and pop culture and how they influence our lives.
• Proudly calls itself feminist, and is not just relevant but critical.
• Provides programs that offer a safe refuge from blatant consumerism.
• Keeps independent, community-supported media alive.
We are planning for Bitch Media’s sustainability. So if you value witty, smart, and thought-provoking feminist critique and analysis of pop culture, if you value media literacy, and if you see the need to connect engagement in pop culture with social-justice activism, please support us in this mission. Keep Bitch Media in your life, and keep it alive for many years to come. Support what you love. Support Bitch Media!
For more information, contact:
Jaymee Jacoby, Development Director
jaymee(at)b-word.org
Julie Falk, Executive Director
julie(at)b-word.org
4930 NE 29th Avenue
Portland, OR 97211
[p] 503-282-5699
[f] 503-282-5661
