I’ve always said that the most feminist aspect of the FBomb is the act of publicly writing itself. There are so few outlets that allow young women to express themselves on a complex emotional level and even fewer that encourage us to express our intellect. The media encourages us to buy into images and depictions that objectify us and belittle our intelligence. We are rarely given the opportunity to push back – in fact, we’re actively discouraged from doing so.
I started the FBomb to counter this. I wanted to create a space specifically for young feminists — a space where young women could become comfortable with not only developing our opinions and ideas, but to publicly publish them – to refuse to buy into a culture that encourages our silence and subservience. I can’t speak for anybody else, but I know that I have gained just that from this space and am forever grateful for the ways in which countless individuals have rallied around and contributed to this platform to make that dream a reality.
But now I’m 22 years old. I’ve graduated college and (although I generally don’t feel like one) am technically an adult. While I will always be an involved champion of this platform, it’s important to me that WMC FBomb remain a space primarily for young feminists, as they have few other media outlets solely devoted to their voices and concerns. This is why I have decided to hand the reins of the FBomb over to the next generation.
I’m excited to introduce the FBomb community to the new Associate Editors of the WMC FBomb: Vicki Soogrim and Chloe Hallinan. Vicki and Chloe are incredibly intelligent, passionate young women who bring an exciting new vision to the website. I’m so excited to see how their leadership will shape the platform for the next generation of feminists.
Vicki Soogrim
Vicki is a senior at Little Red Elisabeth Irwin High School (LREI) in New York City. Chloe is a senior at The Archer School for Girls in Santa Monica, Calif. Vicki came to the WMC FBomb via the recommendation of her teacher, prominent feminist educator (and WMC Progressive Women’s Voices alum) Ileana Jiménez while Chloe submitted essays through the WMC FBomb’s ongoing open submissions. Both have served on the WMC FBomb’s inaugural editorial board for the past year and have produced outstanding editorial content.
Chloe Hallinan
Vicki and Chloe have a clear goal for the FBomb:
“Our goal is to continue to provide socially conscious youth with access to a feminist media platform that will allow them to develop a confident voice in the context of a supportive community as well as gain access to public feminist dialog. As women of color, we’re also both committed to upholding an intersectional and inclusive perspective and community-based approach to feminist activism. Furthermore, the WMC FBomb community will push itself to pursue activist efforts and is committed to bolstering rhetoric with complex thought and action.”
I’m also excited to announce that the FBomb has new opportunities for more people to take on leadership roles. We’re now seeking new members for the editorial board — a group of 10-15 high school and college-aged writers who will regularly contribute content to the site in exchange for unprecedented access to Women’s Media Center resources, media training and writing skill-building. The application can be found here and will close on April 15th: http://form.jotform.us/form/50593761601151
The FBomb has always been a community-driven space and I’m so excited to see how the next generation of feminist leaders will shape it. I’m giving it to you, young(er) feminists. Take this space and make it your own. Show the world that feminism isn’t dead or a dirty word: It’s a thriving movement and conversation that’s very much alive — here and all over the world.
