marlene wicks: co - founder of oob
[Marlene Wicks]: The paper really started because Marilyn Salztman-Webb was writing for the Guardian in New York and every time she would send articles having to do with women they would be totally screwed up and edited to the point that they wouldn't make any sense at all. So after a meeting a...
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| Published in: | Off our backs Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 4 - 32 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Magazine Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Washington
Off Our Backs, Inc
28-02-1980
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | [Marlene Wicks]: The paper really started because Marilyn Salztman-Webb was writing for the Guardian in New York and every time she would send articles having to do with women they would be totally screwed up and edited to the point that they wouldn't make any sense at all. So after a meeting at the Womens Liberation Center on Mintwood Place we were rapping about what we could do about that and I don't know who said first, "why don't we start our own," but the response was "yes, let's do that.." Marlene: Yes. Marilyn may have been the one who actually said let's start the paper. She was the writer. I was the backbone who made it happen. I designed it. I did most of the typing. I edited. I really didn't do much writing except for an article on diaphragms, and another asking our readers for support and contributions, written contributions. Mostly, I wanted to do out, keep the books, make sure there were plenty of graphics. My thing was graphics! I was constantly pouring through books, cutting things out or sending [Bobby, Heidi] out to take her wonderful pictures. I was concerned with production, systems, deadlines, keeping things efficient enough so that oob would last forever. Johanna Vogelsang was a wonderful discovery for us. She's the artist you saw so much in the early issues. I never actually met her because she would leave her stuff in her mailbox where I'd pick it up. I don't know why she wouldn't let me in. She was so great! I'd call her and tell her I had a need for so and so and she'd do it! You know, in those days the paper cost $400.00 to print and $.25 an issue to buy. Thus began my ten year long "meaningful relationship" with oob. My subscription became the lightbulb in my West Virginia closet. In time I began to share my secret treasure with friends. It would make it s dog-eared rounds of who knows how many women stuck in the intolerant Bible Belt. Soon, the arrival of oob was reason for real celebration. It sparked conversation and introspection for us all. oob was, for me, a patient, monthly invitation to peek out and then come out of the hills and the closet. Six years later, I accepted. That I came to DC and fell in love with one of oob's co-founder is well...ain't that a kicker. Thanks y'all! |
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| Bibliography: | content type line 24 SourceType-Magazines-1 ObjectType-Interview-1 |
| ISSN: | 0030-0071 2330-0728 |