This is the part of the website where we get honest.
You deserve to know who’s behind She Zine Mag, what we stand for, what we refuse to participate in, and how your support is used. We are a handmade, community-rooted, feminist publication with glue on our fingers and receipts in our Google Drive and this page is our commitment to radical transparency and punk-informed publishing ethics. It’s also a living document that we’ll update as we grow, learn, and get called out (because we’re not above being corrected — we welcome it).
Why We Exist
She Zine Mag was created because we’re sick of media made by people who don’t actually like people. Who gatekeep taste. Who sanitize politics. Who reduce feminist voices to flat slogans on mass produced merch. Who pretend to care about the world while running on unpaid labour and clickbait.
We wanted to make something better. So we did.
She Zine is a fiercely independent, proudly Canadian magazine dedicated to arts, politics, identity, and culture — all viewed through a critical, feminist, anti-capitalist lens. We’re here for the zine nerds, the music freaks, the weirdos, the late bloomers, the jaded Gen X-ers, the riot grrrls who never grew out of it, the anxious zoomers, the ones who read Teen Vogue and bell hooks in the same afternoon. If that’s you, you’re home.
We don’t aim to be the biggest. But we are aiming to be the most honest and the absolute best in our little corner of the internet.
It takes time to grow into the fully realised vision of something awesome and we hope that you’ll help us to reach our goals. Whether that’s by contributing (awesome), partnerships or joining our unique ad program for indie businesses, or even just joining our newsletter and enjoying our content!
We’re nothing without you.
What We Stand For
Let’s get this out of the way: We are not neutral. We are not centrist. We are not here to play both sides.
Here’s what we believe in — full stop:
Feminism that includes everyone: cis and trans women, non-binary folks, femmes, queers, and anyone else targeted by the patriarchy.
Anti-racism and decolonization: At She Zine Mag, we acknowledge that we create on land governed by Treaty 13, signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between multiple Indigenous nations to care for and share this territory peacefully.
Economic justice: We are anti-capitalist in values and practice. We believe in fair wages, mutual aid, sliding scales, and building alternative economies.
Accessibility: We aim to make our content, community, and shop as accessible as possible — physically, financially, and emotionally.
Transparency: In our structure, our money, our tech use, and our growth process. If we mess up, we own it. Call us out as often as you can.
Creative freedom: We trust contributors to take risks, be experimental, and tell the truth — even when it’s uncomfortable.
We also believe in contradiction, complexity, and making room for nuance — because life isn’t black and white, and neither is liberation.
How We Work
We’re Small (And That’s On Purpose)
She Zine Mag isn’t a massive team — yet. We work with a growing network of contributors and collaborators, some paid and some volunteering by choice while we scale.
We’re seeking to build something different: a sustainable, artist-run platform that pays when possible, trades when needed, and doesn’t operate like a corporate machine. We’re slow and intentional. And we plan to stay that way.
Editorial Process
All pieces are either written in-house, commissioned from contributors, or pitched by creatives we admire. When we use AI tools, it’s for structure, layout, grammar, and spelling (ProWritingAid) and to check factual accuracy and plagiarism, and to detect AI generated content in contributor submissions (Originality.AI). We never use AI to replace real contributors or to fabricate any identity or experience that is not our own. Our human editor touches every single piece. That’s a promise.
Editorial decisions are made based on interest, cultural relevance, and our internal vibe check. We prioritize Canadian stories, feminist politics, alt culture, underrepresented creators, and content that either uplifts, educates, or challenges.
Our contributors sign contracts (see our Contributor Agreement), are briefed on our ethics, and are offered support through the editing process. We don’t do tokenism and we don’t change people’s voices to fit an ad-friendly mold.
Contributor Pay
We believe in paying writers. Our rates depend on available funding and sponsorships. When we can’t pay, we tell you that up front. We offer other forms of value — like promo, products, future opportunities — but we don’t lie about our resources.
No “if you get views, you get paid” garbage. No moving goalposts.
“Promo” could include mentions on our social media channels and/or ad space on the site and any “future opportunities” would be offered at our regular pay rate for contributors. Check out our Contributor Compensation Guide here.
We will never publish a piece without clear consent or change its meaning after publication. We encourage you to check out our Contributor Guidelines here and if you have any questions you can drop a line to our submissions co-ordinator.
Revenue Streams (Yes, We Gotta Eat)
Right now, we make money in a few ways:
She Zine Distro: Our online store sells zines, kits, and rad handmade stuff from indie creators. We keep our markup low to be fair to makers.
- Donation and Support Options: There are options to support She Zine Mag directly by clicking through the Ko-fi button in the bottom left corner. You may also “tip” our contributors through donation panels/buttons following all contributor content.
- Affiliate Partnerships: Some links on the site are affiliate links — meaning we earn a small commission if you buy something we genuinely love or recommend. We only partner with companies that align with our ethics and aesthetic. No Amazon links. No shady fast-fashion.
Branded Collabs: We occasionally work with brands who align with our values. We do not do greenwashing, rainbow capitalism, or girlboss fluff. If it’s sponsored, it’s clearly labelled.
Events + Subscriptions: We’re building out paid digital content, workshops, and eventually, a Ko-fi or Substack with bonus features.
Grants and Arts Funding: We apply for Canadian arts and media funding with full transparency — no fake numbers or empty promises.
Where the Money Goes
Here’s a general breakdown of how we allocate our budget (when we have one):
Contributor Pay: 35–50%
Operational Costs (hosting, software, admin): 20–25%
Production (zines, packaging, photoshoots): 15–20%
Marketing + Outreach: 5–10%
Emergency Fund / Growth: 5–10%
We don’t have shareholders. We don’t skim off the top. When you support She Zine, you support community media.
Our Position on AI
We use AI tools — but never for creative shortcuts, and never without disclosure.
We’re open about where AI fits in:
- Plagiarism and fact checking
- AI detection in contributor submissions
- Article organization (headings, formatting help)
- Accessibility tools (like content summaries, alternative formats)
We use AI at She Zine Mag the way we’d use any behind-the-scenes tool: thoughtfully, critically, and with a clear boundary. It acts as a kind of digital support system — offering structure, suggestions, sounding board, reminders, and practical help in moments when time or money is tight. We treat it like part of the team, but we don’t pretend it’s a person. It helps us make creative, ethical decisions we might otherwise have to rush or outsource. And while it’s never the final voice behind anything we publish, it allows us to maintain momentum and ambition without compromising the values that actually matter.
We don’t use AI to replace contributors or feign identity or life experiences that are not our own. We don’t pass off AI-generated work as human. And when we use AI in any meaningful capacity, we disclose it on the relevant article page or post.
We also recognize the environmental toll of AI, and we’re working toward offsetting our digital footprint with community-based climate initiatives, including tree planting, clean energy donations, clean water initiatives, and encouraging our readers to do the same.
If you want to learn more about AI’s impact on the planet, check out this piece by our editor, AXO.
Where We Publish From
She Zine Mag is based in Tkaronto (Toronto), Canada — the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, and Mississaugas of the Credit peoples — and is covered by Treaty 13. We honour this land, the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Covenant that governs it, and the stories that came before ours.
We centre Canadian content not out of obligation, but because we believe in telling our own stories — on our own terms. In a media landscape that often dilutes or imports its voice, we’re here to offer something different: unapologetically local, creatively unfiltered, and grounded in the realities we actually live. This is smart, gritty, made-here media — and we’re proud of it.
You’ll see American and global stories on our site too, and we want to see those stories, but always through a lens of solidarity and critique — not cultural mimicry.
On Diversity
Diversity isn’t a checklist. It’s a foundation.
Here’s what we’re doing to build a truly inclusive space:
Paying or platforming BIPOC and queer creators whenever possible
Creating internal guidelines around race, gender, accessibility, and trauma-informed content
Prioritizing lived experience over academic credentials
Using contributor bios, not bylines, so readers know who’s writing and where they’re coming from
Holding space for disagreement, discomfort, and nuance
Welcoming call-ins and corrections without ego
We know that representation without structural change is hollow. That’s why we’re designing She Zine with community feedback baked in — including anonymous tip forms, reader surveys, and one-on-one contributor onboarding.
Open Call For Accountability
We don’t get everything right. No media outlet does. But we do what to be held accountable – by our readers, our contributors, and our communities.
If you notice something we missed, misrepresented, or fumbled — tell us. Email us. DM us. We don’t bite. We don’t block feedback. In fact, we encourage it.
We’ll address mistakes publicly when needed. We’ll credit those who offer corrections. And we’ll update this page anytime our policies or values shift.
What’s Next
We’re in growth mode. Over the next year, we’re planning:
A digital subscriber community
Paid contributor programs
Zine-making kits + reader submissions
- Branded merchandise
Local feminist events and workshops
Regular reporting on funding, contributor stats, and revenue
A transparency dashboard with live updates
We’re building She Zine Mag to last — but we can’t do it without you. If you’re a reader, a maker, a feminist thinker, a critic, or a fan of messy, beautiful, activist media: thank you. This space is yours too.
Want to call us in? Pitch us something? Ask a question about our ethics?
Email our editor, AXO, at editor@shezinemag.com or DM us on Instagram @shezinemagazine.
Zines are for everyone. Especially the ones who never got asked to speak before.
We are the #newgirlarmy