Customer Reviews

Bust

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

About every four months or so I pick up an issue of Bust. It's not something I'd like to read on a regular basis, as I find any pop culture commentary to be a bit preachy, but this is a fun magazine with a sense of humor (Praise be!). Every issue features an interesting interview: Amy Sedaris, Tina Fey, etc. Nothing is overly examined; if you want a really thought provoking magazine, I'd subscribe to Ms., but I like Bust's writing because it is accessable and less angry and frustrated than Bitch--a comparable magazine. It also has a terrific column by writer Ayun Halliday (No Touch Monkey and East Village Inky), which usually cracks me up. In addition, you can usually find liberal join-up type articles as well as personal essays. Babes in Toyland is one of Bust's larger sponsors, so there are lots of articles on pleasuring yourself, vibrators, and getting in touch with your inner-inner woman. I think in terms of tone that Bust lies somewhere between Jane and Budget Living (sounds crazy, but it's true), with the obvious feminist bent. I really appreciate that it's not anti-male, too.

I'm really upset at all the negative reviews of BUST here. Bust magazine isn't claiming itself to be your feminist go-to source, it's a magazine for girls who like magazines. Personally, I love bust because I can look at fashion and trends & new designers without being bombarded by articles like "HOW TO MAKE HIM GROAN". If i wanted intense feminist essays I'd go read bitch magazine, but if you just want a fun magazine with cool fashion & a girl positive vibe, BUST is for you.

Bust is an entertaining, highly readable magazine aimed at 20- and 30-something women who unashamedly self-identify as feminists. It reflects a heavy influence of NYC/Brooklyn and the indie scene. The journalism is not terribly political or hard-hitting, but I don't think it intends to be. Bust does occasionally discuss things like comprehensive sex ed, breastfeeding in public, and misogynistic commercial ads; however, for the most part, the content is on the lighthearted side. I have subscribed for almost a year, although I've read it intermittently off newsstands since 2005, and overall, I really enjoy reading it.

The great thing about Bust is that it has substance and is fun to read. There are never articles like "How to Look Thinner," "Choose the Right Anti-Aging Surgical Procedure," and other inane, self-hate-inducing garbage typically found in mainstream women's mags. By contrast, Bust has articles on female stand-up comedians, women who travel the world volunteering, and how to choose the right vibrator or electric guitar. (These are also great examples of how Bust has a more lighthearted tone than Ms. or [...].) [MM edit: Thanks a lot, Amazon, for editing out the word B**ch right there -- it's the name of a feminist magazine, not a derogatory term. Just shows you how far we still have to come.]

Bust's regular features include:

* Feminist interest columns -- Pop Tart, a tongue-in-cheek take on current pop culture; Museum of Femoribilia, with articles on women's cultural objects (swimsuit bra cups, restrictive petticoats, girls' toys, etc.) from the 1920s on and the feminist issues raised by them; and Mother Superior, by Ayun Halliday, who writes self-effacingly and hilariously about her kids' antics

* DIY projects -- Make your own queen-size headboard, reusable tote bags, mod-themed tea towels, pillbox hat, subversive cross-stitch art, etc.

* Recipes -- Chinese wontons, gingersnaps, tsimmes, mozzarella cheese (yes, how to curdle cheese), how to throw an eco-friendly Thanksgiving feast

* Boy du Jour -- A short interview with a hot, progressive, not-so-mainstream dude

* Fashion features -- Trend spotting; up-and-coming independent designers; a multi-page fashion spread illustrating a current trend (steampunk, outdoorsy hippie, cowgirl, 80s rock-chic)

* Interviews with 1-2 progressive celebrities

* Travel -- Articles on domestic and international destinations, with suggestions on restaurants, worthy hole-in-the-wall shops, things to do and see

* Sex -- Reader Q&A with Betty Dodson and, more recently, Carlin Ross (this can get graphic at times, but it's info we were all wondering anyway); Sex Files, a column discussing general women's health topics; the "One-Handed Read," stories similar to those in other popular women's mags (i.e., porn for women)

* Reviews of 1) not-so-mainstream beauty products, 2) recent indie music, 3) books written by or about women, and 4) recent indie movies produced/directed/written by or about women

* Comic strip detailing the trialz & tribz of a high school sophomore in the 1980s (by Esther Pearl Watson) and a feminist-themed crossword puzzle at the end -- I luuurve the comic strip and the crossword!

Bust is really big on indie musicians, especially those with a progressive bent, male or female. There is always at least one feature on a musician in each issue.

It's also important to note that Bust is not misandronistic in any way; in fact, they're very open about appreciating, crushing on, and having relations with men.

However, here's my one gripe: Bust has a somewhat "exclusive" vibe. Don't get me wrong -- they're not out there bashing people who don't subscribe to their indie ethos; they're just not inclusive of a wide audience. I agree with a previous reviewer about the general lack of inclusion of women of color (and I am white). There are, of course, some exceptions to this -- like the features on Eve, Rosario Dawson, Margaret Cho, Charlyne Yi, Sandrah Oh, and Rosie Perez, for example. But these features may be too few and far-between for women of color to feel truly championed. The bottom line is that Bust just aims for a very specific audience, which happens to be white, straight, crafty, indie/hipster feminists in their 20s and 30s. For some people, this may feel alienating. I occasionally feel like I'm not "hipster enough" for Bust, even though I'm pretty sure I fit into their intended demographic. ;)

Despite this, I continue to read Bust because I enjoy the positive media outlet it provides, especially compared to the likes of Glamour, Vogue, Cosmo -- which make ALL women feel like crap, regardless of heritage, size, and interests. Personally, I get enough positive value out of Bust as a whole to let the occasional self-doubt slide.

Overall, Bust is an enjoyable, lighthearted, pro-woman magazine. I'd suggest you check it out at Borders or B&N before subscribing, just to get an idea of its readability and look/feel. Recommended!

I have been reading Bust magazine for close to five years now.
I have to say that all of the wonderful things that I love about being a woman are talked about in this magazine. And it isn't just for women, with music and book reviews, the magazine is for almost anyone who has a pulse. The main reason it is for women is that it says everything that our mothers wouldn't say but taught us that we should feel allowed to say.
This magazine is a must for any female who has no problem with calling herself the f-word: feminist.

Picked up this magazine before a plane trip and read it cover to cover. Edgier than Jane with a more approachable fashion sense. How many magazines feature a sex issue with Beck on the cover? How about a great cover interview with Frances McDormand?
This magazine has great interviews funky craft tips, a monthly mechanic's column, and really great back of the magazine ads. Highly recommended. The accompanying website could be better but check it out anyway.

I'm not going to say that Bust isn't a decent magazine. And if other feminist publications weren't around, I'd probably be reading it cover to cover. The problem is that they seem to assume that everyone who reads their mag is all do-it-yourself-y and artsy. And that they're actually interested in clothing. I'm not. I still appreciate some of the articles -- for example, the article several months ago on the womanly diagnosis of "hysteria" and this latest issue's article about American women converting to Islam.

If you're a knitter, cool. If you're a sorta-kinda feminist, cool. If you just want to read something that isn't telling you to go out and find a husband, like, yesterday, this is a good mag too. But if you're looking for something that is a little more FEMINIST, pick up Bitch magazine.

This is one of my favorite magazines. I've been reading it for around two years now. I'd say if you weren't inclined to liberalism, do it yourself projects (clothes and other things), feminism, or other somewhat "unique" interests in music, movies, and books this magazine isn't for you. You still might enjoy it, but I wouldn't suggest picking it up if any of those things listed don't interest or describe you.

This magazine does have its faults though. They act sometimes as if those who don't share their views are either less intelligent or just plain odd. That's not extremely usual, but you do run across it every now and then. It's not as if they put down other view points, but they do make a quiet point in letting the reader know what point of view is probably "preferred."

Still, it's a great magazine that brings something more to the table than just "how to get a man," "how to satisfy your man," or "Lindsay and Paris are the best!!" Also I love how women who are not incredibly mainstream are featured on its covers - and how the magazine targets different races and differet body shapes without making it a point to say that they are doing it to be nice to others (or to suddenly have these different images in an issue titled something like: 'Everyone is awesome! Girls should love themselves!'). They just do it because that's how women/girls are, which is greatly appreciated.

This magazine is somewhere in between Ms. and Bitch. The former may be a bit too scholarly for some, with not enough articles to draw in the third wave of feminists, and the latter can sometimes be a bit too radical in some of its articles, but Bust magazine is the perfect blend of both. There are always interesting thought-provoking interviews, articles, and features (Ayun Halliday's column is always great), along with reviews of books, movies, and albums you might not otherwise know existed. They also have a monthly feature from Betty Dodson, a pioneering sex therapist, who answers particularly pressing questions from readers; though some people might feel this is pornographic, it's merely presenting information that happens to concern sexuality. A lot of people might feel too embarrassed to ask such normal questions, so it's good they get the answers because someone else was brave enough to ask rather than not get the answers at all, or feel that they're not normal for these feelings or bad experiences. And for people who are so inclined, there are always articles on do-it-yourself crafts; they've done everything from clothes to handbags to stuffed animals. There's something in here for everyone.

I really enjoyed the magazine, it's an overall fun read w/o being full of fluff or overly political. It's not super femminist but for those of us who are independent, strong women but still like a little fashion and some cooking in our lives, it's a great read. I really enjoy the sometimes quirky and sometimes great recipies and DIY projects (like Chai tea from scratch and an earth friendly tote made from recycled grocery bags). The sexuality parts are definately w/o shame and will address anything, but if other mags can talk abt how to pleasure him than why can't Bust talk about how to pleasure yourself? The book, movie and music reviews are often quite good and smart. The fashion sections are a bit cliche indie/punk at times but enjoyable. Overall it doesn't focus too much on any one section but is definately worth paging through.

I started reading Bust when i was 16 and have been reading it for the past four years. Most magazines that were marketed towards my age bracket (17, Cosmogirl) felt so stupid and vapid, i mean, who really cares about cover up and what he is thinking? I wanted something...smarter...and funnier. And i found Bust! It's funny, b/c its one of the few magazines that has managed to still be engaging and entertaining and so awesome, even as i age. Not only that, its talks about politics and women based issues in a way that is humorous and not overly angry or preachy. And it has fashion! It's got fluff and substance and i like that.