Letter from the Editor #1

Day 15

In the long long ago, my friend Chelsea and I used to drink beer and read Cosmopolitan to each other. We’d laugh at the fashion trends, the stupid quizzes, the dangerous and ill-advised sex tips. We’d aged out of the prime demographic years ago, but that just made it funnier as we watched young women navigate a life we’d become somewhat jaded with.

Those were the days.

It was 3 weeks ago.

You may have noticed life has changed radically since then. If you haven’t, I suggest you check the news immediately. We are now in the age of #AloneTogether. We’re entering week three of social distancing, and some of the psychological cracks are already starting to show. Relationships are straining, plans are imploding, and anxieties are growing exponentially alongside the body count.

If you sit down with the April 2020 Cosmopolitan, you’ll be treated to a six-page tutorial on hosting parties. Everything is irrelevant now!

Which brings me to why I set up Dystopienne.

First, I thought it would be a good idea to set up a place where we can navigate this “new normal.” I actually hate that phrase. There’s nothing normal about this. Despite the plague, our lives still go on. We’re still cooking, taking care of ourselves, falling in love, having sex, navigating relationships, planning our futures, dealing with careers, worrying about money, trying to entertain ourselves, and maintaining our mental health. We are doing A LOT, and its all very abnormal. But we’re all abnormal together, so let’s build a community that recognizes that. I encourage you to submit articles, poetry, short stories, listicles, artwork, or anything else that helps us all feel a little more connected in this weird moment.

Second, I hope this space has some helpful content. Our stacks of women’s advice magazines aren’t relevant anymore, we need to help ourselves and each other. If you have something figured out about food, home schooling, stress management, LITERALLY ANYTHING, please consider contributing. A lot of us are totally lost, we need the help.

Third, historians are asking us to record our experiences as they happen. I’m not much of a journal keeper, but I can write up something silly every once in a while. If several of us do that, we have a pretty good primary source describing everyday life during the pandemics. The domestic history of crisis is often lost, largely because it’s the domain of women. When you notice something that strikes you as especially out of the ordinary why not record it?

Finally, I think women have a difficult line to walk during a crisis. So much is made about men needing to be “stronger” because they aren’t supposed to show emotion. That’s not great, but that still means they’re only responsible for themselves. We’re groomed to be responsible for everyone around us. In a crisis, we are called on to meet everyone elses’s emotional needs before our own. I feel like I can constantly hear thousands of women screaming into pillows and closets and showers. We put on brave faces for our children, elderly parents, spouses, coworkers, and friends. Dystopienne is a place you can come shout the things you can’t say to your family because you’re navigating their needs.

So, I encourage you to consider submitting something. All tones from funny to serious welcome. Pretty much any topic, any format. The only gatekeeping is: no conspiracy theories, no advice that contradicts current public health best practices, and no anti-scientific claims that aren’t clearly part of a parody. At least, that’s all for now.

If you’ve got something or have any questions, email me at dystopienne@gmail.com.

I hope to hear from you soon. Stay safe,

Kate