Perzine, Clementine Morrigan, clementinemorrigan.com, $3 (postage included)
The trigger warning for this zine is a preview of its heavy content: trauma, complex PTSD, incest, child abuse, violence and addictions of various kinds. Seawitch #7 is the latest issue of Clementine Morrigan’s diarist perzine. Much of the zine focuses on sexuality and gender. They discuss their demisexuality, a pregnancy scare, and the challenges of approaching polyamoury while dealing with mental health problems.
Given the weight of the topics, Morrigan navigates with a surprisingly light touch. This zine didn’t bum me out—instead, I found myself grateful for Morrigan’s thoughtful musings. A passage about being sober in a drinking culture does not shame drinkers (or sober people who find ways to hide their sobriety), but rather borrows a question from critics of homonormativity: “Why is the world so intolerant of us as we are?” Morrigan is finding a path to be who they are, and gracefully sharing that journey with the rest of us. (Kelly McElroy)