🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi!

I agree with Sue.  I find I read BBW mostly just for the fashion
layouts (so I can see what's new, etc.), but I also prefer
Radiance magazine for the articles they offer.  Hey, when I
started subscribing, I ordered all of the back issues!!
If only most of their advertisers were not in the Bay Area...

Just my $0.02,

Michelle

Hi, Sue --

By and large (no pun intended), I agree with a lot of what you said about 
_BBW_ and _Radiance_. However, I subscribe to both for different reasons.

I discovered BBW first, as a lot of us do, because it's bigger and it's on the 
newsstands. I have a long-term love/hate relationship with it. As you 
noticed, it does miss the point sometimes. The main problem I have with it
is that it tends to be uneven; sometimes it has really great things to say, 
and sometimes it pulls a real boner. I write and tell them when that happens.
The main reason I still love it, though, is for the clothes, of course. Like
any fashion magazine, it shows us some of the possibilities. I *don't* mean
in terms of size, but in terms of clothes, makeup, accessories, and total
look. I've found some of my most powerful mental imagery of how gorgeous a
large woman can look from the pages of BBW. And even though their models are
smaller than I am, they're larger than other fashion magazines, and look to
me more like normal women. (and their *beautiful* cover model for December
is a size 26, complete with double chin) Anyway, like most fashion magazines,
it's geared toward looks and extremes.

Radiance is food for the heart. Now that I've found it, I'd never give it up.
It's angry, joyous, funny, supportive, intelligent. I never read a new issue
that I don't cry over part of it. I learn from it, see women as large as I
am as a rule, find strength from it, and hold my head higher after reading it.
Radiance is like a good friend. But, unfortunately, she can only come and
visit four times a year (which is another reason I keep BBW, which is monthly).
Another thing I like about Radiance is that it talks so much less about
relationships with men than BBW does, and more about the relationships women
have with themselves. Sometimes the former is useful, but the latter is always
useful.

So that's my (long) take on it. I'll keep reading them both, for now.
Anyone else?

Marty

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"Seems like there ought to be a way we could look each other in the eye
To see we're all in this together, and put all thoughts of victory aside.
Seems like there ought to be a way we could turn this fear into trust;
No matter what you say, there has to be a way --
Every living thing is counting on us."      

Marty Hale-Evans                                 M   @   *   O   %   8   U
89 Mass. Ave., Ste. 199, Boston, MA 02115       \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/

avery@netcom.com (Avery Ray Colter) writes:

>there definitely are such classes. I even recall a film by a Boston group
>clled the Boston Fat Liberation which was about the possibilities of
>body-building for large women.

Yow! I realize it's a long shot, Avery, but do you have any more info about
that group, or know where I can find it?

Marty


=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"Seems like there ought to be a way we could look each other in the eye
To see we're all in this together, and put all thoughts of victory aside.
Seems like there ought to be a way we could turn this fear into trust;
No matter what you say, there has to be a way --
Every living thing is counting on us."      

Marty Hale-Evans                                 M   @   *   O   %   8   U
89 Mass. Ave., Ste. 199, Boston, MA 02115       \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/

Two questions:
1.  How can I get a copy of Radiance?  I've not seen it on the newsstands,
even though I've looked a few times.
2.  Which issue of BBW had the "where to find large-sized clothes" list?  I
just bought the November '92 issue, and it didn't have squat, particularly
for out here in the east.

Ok.. I lied, third question coming:
3.  If someone has the above-mentioned list, could I ask them to e-mail me?


Thank you!

--Nancy Howells
(beh@gnu.ai.mit.edu)

Hi,

The December issue of BBW is the one with the article "Life after
size 26W" and the resource list.  If I can dig it up, maybe I will
type it in...

--Michelle Berteig

I read Radiance regularly (in fact, I subscribe to it) and I think it's a 
great magazine.  I don't love every article in it, but for the most part
I enjoy the contents.  I've even recommended it to thin women for the 
articles on women who are accomplishing things.

I pick up BBW at the newstand every now and then.  Too much of it reminds me
of the sort of fashion magazines I outgrew by the time I was in college.
I find their fiction particularly annoying - reminiscent of Harlequin
romances (which I consider appropriate reading only for airplanes, where
I can leave them behind without caring).  Their models are as small as size
12.  Now, I recognize that samples come in limited sizes, but they don't
seem to be fighting this enough.  I have to admit that my sense of style is
somewhat different from most of what I see in BBW - I have yet to see
anything there that I could reasonably wear to work and there's little 
that's weird enough for me to wear for play.  Still, I do feel that I ought
to support them, that BBW does help a lot of people, and that every now and
then they have an article that's on the mark.  So a few times a year, I
find myself adding a copy to my newspaper, puzzle magazines (I am hopelessly
addicted to Dell Logic Puzzles!) and odds and ends at the magazine rack.

Miriam Nadel

marty@world.std.com (Marty M HaleEvans) writes:

>>body-building for large women.

>Yow! I realize it's a long shot, Avery, but do you have any more info about
>that group, or know where I can find it?

>Marty

I'd have to tap a few waists to track down that info again, but I'll see
what I can find out.

-- 
Avery Ray Colter ("Elfcat") - 	avery@netcom.netcom.com (IP 192.100.81.100)
(510) 656-1902 
"Heaviness is the root of lightness; calmness is the controller of haste"

Radiance's address is

PO Box 30246
Oakland, CA 94604
(510) 482-0680

They might send you a copy (tell 'em Avery sent you ;) ).
Otherwise, I know that Alice Ansfield brings copies of Radiance
or authorizes a few copies to be taken to NAAFA regional and national cons.

Subscription price is $15/1yr, $25/2yrs in USA, $20 and $35 in Canada,
$23 and $41 in other countries, with our very own 8.25% tax in California.

A mag well worth the couple hours of wages.

-- 
Avery Ray Colter ("Elfcat") - 	avery@netcom.netcom.com (IP 192.100.81.100)
(510) 656-1902 
"Heaviness is the root of lightness; calmness is the controller of haste"