Fireweed
Name/Title
FireweedEntry/Object ID
2024.4.24Secondary Title
A Feminist Quarterly of Writing, Politics, Art, & Culture (prior to 1980 known as "Fireweed: A Literary & Cultural Journal")Description
"FIreweed" was a feminist journal featuring fiction, poetry, reviews, essays, photographs, & drawings from women all over the world. Issues of Fireweed usually focused on a theme or topic, such as "Writing" (#10), "Fear & Violence" (#14), "Women of Colour" (#16), "Sex & Sexuality" (#37 & 38), and "Language" (#44/45), though there were frequent "open" issues. HOLDINGS: #13,; #15, 1982; #16, Spring 1983; #17, Summer/Fall 1983; #19, Summer/Fall 1984; #22, Winter 1986; #23, Summer 1986; #24, Winter 1987; #25, Fall 1987; #26, Winter/Spring 1988; #27, Fall 1988; #28, Spring 1989;Context
"Fireweed: A Feminist Quarterly of Writing, Politics, Art & Culture," was founded in Toronto, Canada, in 1978 by the Fireweed Collective of some two dozen women. Several Lesbians of colour and Lesbian were involved in the editorial collective later on. Known Lesbian contributors throughout the issues included: Dionne Brand, Mikeda Silviera, Suniti Namjoshi, Chystos, Beth Brant, Wendy Waring, & Helen Potrebenko. The Fireweed Collective itself was formed in February 1978 to create a new feminist journal devoted to stimulating dialogue, knowledge, and creativity among women. Committed to an editorial policy of diversity, it did not intend to represent a particular style or aesthetic. Recognising the importance of an exchange among the various sectors of the women’s community, the journal was devoted to the concept of women learning from and sharing with one another. The journal itself provided an “on the job” learning experience for those who became involved in its production. In 1982 it invited guest collectives to edit particular issues in an effort to diversify its content, but an overall lack of such diversity led most of the original collective to resign and a new collective of eight women was formed. They "argued extensively" over issues of diversity over the next few years, by the mid- to late-80's adopting a much broader, more intersectional editorial focus. An annual Fireweed festival grew out of their involvement in the arts community. In the mid-90's the collective again changed, this time forming three distinct collectives: an editorial, staff, & board collective, all in order to improve management of the journal. In 2002 the journal ceased publication.Category
Periodical