Hipmama

I'm no mama, but I can tell a hip mama from a wack mama. As can the women at Hipmama, the zine for mamas of all ages, as well as mamas-to-be, mama-wanna-bes and even daddies. Although Hipmama ostensibly affords a greater appeal to mothers, it's interesting enough for anyone who has a mother as well.

The zine is available in print form and electronically, though the content differs through each medium. Both contain Hipmama's distinctive features on mother and baby-related themes. A recent interview online (interrelated with the Chickclick sisterhood itself, interestingly enough) with Bust's design editor included practical wit and wisdom on working at home while raising a vocal two-year-old (who finds her way into the interview, too) and maintaining sanity. The deference toward hip topics, be they new media mamas, public breastfeeding or taking your baby to Lilith Fair, strikes an engaging slant on the age-old topic of women's dual identities as mothers and people, too.

On the web, however, Hipmama's concentration seems to lie in discussion boards, chatrooms and advice columns. There are two sides to this story: the discussion boards undoubtedly provide a community atmosphere where women can freely discuss what's on their minds. But one of the boards, an offshoot of Hipmama called Girl-Mom, winds up being slightly disturbing. Girl-Mom is aimed at the younger mother crowd — sometimes gals in their early 20s, but more often than not, teenagers. While Girl-Mom provides an important community for oft-ignored teen moms, reading through posting after posting of adolescents standing up for their rights to bear children at 15 (or 16, or 17, or whatever) is more than a little depressing. While the girls over at Fametracker and Hissyfit are making fun of celebrities and gossiping about God knows what, the Girl-Moms have more serious issues to face.

Anyway you slice it, though, Hipmama is a zine that fills a void for alternative Moms of all ages.

— Sara J. Brenneis (sara at flakmag dot com)