The “Bitch” Legacy: A Hopeful Future for Independent Media

Graphic by Isabelle Hauf-Pisoni.

What does independent journalism look like in an age where major news organizations run more like businesses and less like sources for authentic news coverage? It’s hard to say, but Amy Guth, president of Bitch Media’s board of directors, has a few thoughts on where independent media is headed. Guth has been a fan of “Bitch” magazine since it was first published in the late 1990s and has witnessed its evolution on both a personal and professional level. Unfortunately, after roughly 25 years of story-telling, “Bitch,” like many other independent media outlets in recent years, will be shutting down for good in June. 

Bitch Media announces its closure on April 12. Graphic courtesy of Bitch Media. Image courtesy of Bitch Media.

When Lisa Jervis, Benjamin Shaykin and Andi Zeisler first launched “Bitch” out of their station wagon in 1996, they referred to the 10-page zine by the lengthier title: “Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture.” Today, instead of being held together by a few staples, the magazine contains dozens of glossy pages filled with vibrant art and long-form essays that tackle feminist struggles of the present and past, never shying away from making a statement. 

The Summer 2020 Issue of “Bitch.” Image courtesy of Bitch Media.

After “Bitch” announced it was shutting down for good on April 12 this year, all I could think about was how a vast number of feminist circles lost another voice in the greater world of mass media. After all, the magazine grew in popularity as a result of its shameless display of provocative dialogue and imagery, which is what made it stand out to readers like Guth in the first place. 

“I grew up in an area where nobody was talking about feminism and I felt really isolated by that,” Guth says. “Then I read [“Bitch”] and really felt like ‘Oh, there’s other people with the same concerns that I have — bothered by the same thing,’ and I realized that I had kind of been gaslit by my environment.”

Created in the midst of the Riot Grrrl movement — an underground feminist, punk and political movement of the 1990s — the magazine’s first issues entered the public eye at a time when feminism lacked credibility, and more often than not, was ridiculed. Nevertheless, “Bitch” persisted, and the magazine made it its mission to highlight stigmatized issues — a strategy that forced the general public to get comfortable with discomfort and familiarize itself with potentially “hard-to-swallow” ideas and perspectives. 

Tragically, the magazine’s end comes as a result of a few reasons; the biggest being the struggle to maintain capital. Guth says that the “scrappy” magazine has always been “donor-supported and subscriber-supported,” unlike most of the news media giants of today. While this certainly has allowed the writers and editors at “Bitch” to have greater freedom in showcasing whatever they felt was true to themselves and the magazine’s values, it also left them dependent on the direct support of their readers, which proved extremely challenging in the midst of a pandemic. Now, after roughly two years of making ends meet, “Bitch” becomes another casualty in the struggle to keep media independent.

However, “Bitch” will not go down silently, and Guth believes that the magazine will have a lasting legacy on readers, writers and the greater world of journalism and storytelling. As individuals who create and work in media, Guth says we need to make a better effort in diversifying the voices we listen to, and that means creating space for publications that aren’t just the typical media giant. 

“There is an important space to be occupied by a lot of niche publications and by a lot of different filters through which we understand our commentary and analysis of world events,” Guth says.

Unlike advertiser-backed publications, Bitch Media’s grassroots approach has allowed the magazine to dig into stories in a way that advertiser-backed publications have been too fearful to attempt. However, “reader-backed” magazines and newspapers, like “Bitch,” need ample monetary support to survive.

Even if readers have to say farewell to the magazine, their support for smaller publications shouldn’t stop with “Bitch.” Guth says it’s crucial to keep supporting independent media with our dollars and social networks, whether that’s by joining monthly donor programs or sharing our favorite articles online. The role that independent, non-profit publications play in how we educate ourselves and consume media should not be overlooked. Luckily, Guth sees change on the horizon and has hope that as the world evolves, journalism will evolve along with it.

“I would say that I think the role of not just independent organizations, but the individual journalist will be more important,” Guth says. “Change doesn’t freak me out because I think it’s interesting to see things at early stages and see how people are navigating it. I’m hopeful for journalism right now. We’ve got some headwinds for sure, and a lot of anti-press sentiment out there even from people benefiting from a free press, but I am hopeful for journalism right now in a big way.”

When Jervis, Shaykin and Zeisler decided on naming their magazine “Bitch,” they chose the infamous b-word to reclaim it for individuals “who spoke up for themselves or said things others didn’t want to hear.” As a self-identified Bitch myself (and that’s with a capital B), “Bitch” offered me a space to really challenge myself and a diverse community of writers, artists and activists who I could learn from. I feel disheartened knowing that money (or the lack thereof) is at the root of why “Bitch” is coming to a close, and it’s a reality that many independent and non-profit publications eventually face. But I’ve never met a Bitch that chooses to retreat from a challenge, and despite the startling influence some major news conglomerates may have in the industry, I know that independent publications will continue to shine even if the powerful minority demands silence.