Sojourner: The Women's Forum

Sojourner: The Women's Forum was an American feminist periodical published in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1975 until 2002. Started by a women's group from MIT, the newspaper initially aimed to provide a space for just MIT women to communicate their "ideas, their art, talents, and skills, as well as their needs as women, to the rest of the community."

As the publication expanded, so did its audience. Sojourner eventually grew to be one of the most prominent feminist news publications in the nation. It published news, articles, and reviews concerning the feminist movement. The periodical published the works of many well known contemporary feminists including Audre Lorde, Barbara Smith, Margaret Robinson, Paula Gunn Allen, Joan Nestle, and Sonia Shah. Feminist writer Jennifer Pozner began her career at Sojourner.

After publishing over 185 issues, Sojourner gained similar prominence to contemporary popular publications such as HERESIES and Sinister Wisdom. Sojourner, like many other of its kind, struggled with finances and ultimately ceased publication due to lack of funding by 2002.

Stance and Mandate
The collective aimed to serve the feminist community, regardless of sex or gender, by inviting all feminists to engage with one another on a platform which expanded the network of feminist information exchange from 1975 and beyond. Despite this inclusive partial position, the contents of the newspaper did not feature literature about or by men. In line with the newspapers inclusive position, staff assured readers that Sojourner did not subscribe to any one feminist stance and was open to any and all discourse as long as it was productive to the charge of feminism in general.

Editorial Content
Printed in a newspaper format, the forum developed an extensive communications network between readers alike. Particularly in the Letters section of the paper, where philosophical arguments and critiques would often take place between women on topics and ideas pertaining to feminism, prejudice, homosexuality, patriarchy, and more. Often front pages would develop nuanced discourse about feminist and queer theory and strategy.

Advertisements were situated at the ends of pages or sections, almost exclusively promoting services, events, products, etc. made by or for women.

Viewpoints was a section that published essays and opinion pieces about a wide range of topics generally aligned with social, political and cultural issues from a feminist perspective.

News Briefs provided short-form columns highlighting domestic and international affairs.

Interviews and longer format essays would cover subjects such as women living with AIDS, Palestine, prostitution, and more.

The Calendar would provide information on upcoming events in Boston and beyond.

Boston Briefs and Boston Women's Resources provided local news coverage and access to resources for women.

Fiction, Film, Poetry, Theater and Books by women would all be featured in the next sections just before Sojourner's Women-Owned Business Directory and Classifieds sections.

Front Line Feminism, 1975-1995: Essays from Sojourner's First 20 Years
In 1995, Sojourner, Incorporated released an anthology of essays that were featured in the newspaper, published through aunt lute books San Francisco. Edited by Karen Kahn, with a foreword by Robin Morgan, the book features articles spanning 8 chapters. Front Line Feminism covers much of the women's movements primary concerns with numerous, interdisciplinary articles, written by well known and unknown women writers alike.

Chapters

 * Chapter 1: Claiming our Identities


 * Chapter 2: Economic Injustice


 * Chapter 3: The Politics of the Family


 * Chapter 4: Reproductive Freedom


 * Chapter 5: Women's Health


 * Chapter 6: Sex and Sexuality


 * Chapter 7: Violence Against Women


 * Chapter 8: Building an Inclusive Movement