Femizine

Femizine, nicknamed Fez, was a fanzine published in the UK from 1954 to 1960, supposedly as an all-femmefan effort. However, the first editor, “Joan W. Carr” was a hoax by a man, Sandy Sanderson. Pam Bulmer and Ethel Lindsay were later editors. After Ethel Lindsay had ended the title with #15, Bobbie Gray announced that she had 'fallen heir' to it (Vagary #12, winter 1960). She solicited contributions but for whatever reason a further issue under her editorship did not appear.

Rob Hansen compiled a selection of women's writing from Femizine and contemporary fanzines as Generation Femizine (Ansible Editions, 2023).

• For other women-only publications, see the American STF-ETTE (1940–41) and Femzine (late 1950s), and A Women's Apa (est. 1976s).

#	Date	Pages	Editor / Notes
1	Summer 1954	22	Joan W. Carr, ed.
2	August 1954	34	"
3–4	December 1954	64	" ; Double issue; the first to feature the pseudonymous column by Francezka
5	February 1955	40	No editor listed, but material is to be sent to Ethel Lindsay, exchange zines and locs to "Sgt. J. W. Carr". So presumably Ethel and "Joan" are co-editors, although other sources say that "Joan" was the editor
6	April 1955	44
7	Autumn 1955	62	Pamela Bulmer is co-editor with "Joan"
8	March 1956	62	Pamela Bulmer is editor; the last to feature the pseudonymous column by Francezka
9	May 1956	34	"Edited and Published by Pamela Bulmer", US subscription agents Eva Firestone (West) and Dick Ellington (East). Hoax revealed on the cover (and detailed inside) just before it would break anyway.
Hiatus of more than 2 years; Ethel Lindsay took up editorship for the rest of the run.
(10)	September 1958	26	Distaff cover; click to enlarge Ethel Lindsay is the new editor. The cover with a phoenix picture says Distaff (no number discernible), subtitled “The New ‘Femizine’”; p. 2 starts "This is Distaff No. 1 (the late Femizine)". Daphne Buckmaster "produced the cover, invented the new name, and helped out with illos"
11	May 1959	30	#11 cover; click to enlarge Ethel Lindsay, ed. Cover by Joy Clarke (who contributed to many issues; it is worth noting Joy’s close connection to Sanderson, i.e. "Joan") has a subtitle “The ‘Fanne-ish’ Irregularly’” and shows a women's protest march with signs DOWN WITH DISTAFF, NO NEW NAMES FOR FEMIZINE, WE WANT FEZ, APE SEZ FEZ, WE WANT TO BE A FOCAL POINT, TOO! etc. – as summarised by Rob Hansen in Then, "The fanzine was welcomed by Britain's female fans but the name-change wasn't".
12	Autumn 1959	24	"
13	Spring 1960	24	Ron Bennett’s review in Skyrack 18: “When so many fanzines are beating one another over the eds trying to become the Focal Point of fandom, it’s pleasing to receive a fanzine which possesses such a marked degree of informality. For some reason I’m wildly reminded of Georgina Ellis’ Wendigo, and it’s about time we had another fanzine like that. Ethel is backed up by Bjo Wells (who introduces Elinor Busby, my favourite Fan-I-said-hello-to-but-little-more-to) and Ina Shorrock (who introduces husband Norman). Janey Johnston writes on cats, Juanita Coulson writes on Charles Eric Maine and Margaret Picken and Sheila Ashworth report on the Liverpool party over New Year. Joy Clarke reviews fanzines in microelite. A short letter column makes up an enjoyable issue.”
14	Summer 1960	20
15	September 1960	16	Ethel Lindsay, ed.; final issue

• Femizine online at fanac.org.
• Generation Femizine ebook edited by Rob Hansen

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Publication

1954—1960

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