Violet magazine.
I’m a magazine junkie. Somewhere in my parents’ attic is the entire run of Sassy, as well as some late ’80s/early ’90s editions of Details and The Face. I also couldn’t resist junk-food equivalents like Right On!, Seventeen, Mademoiselle, and Vogue. I’ve generally curbed my habit to quality reading — Granta, Wax Poetics, The New Yorker — but occasionally I break down and buy some fluff to scowl at. My latest favorite object of derision is Cookie, which made the mistake of sending me a subscription invitation a month ago; I scrawled a kiss-off to the editor on it and returned it in their generously provided SASE. Of the many reasons I loathe Cookie, one is undoubtedly their apeing of superior mags, one of which is the now-suspended Violet.
Violet was the brainchild of Carolyn “Keki” Mingus, who wanted to create a magazine for people with children that didn’t assume they’re all Stepford wives and husbands. Yes, the cover subjects included the likes of Juliette Binoche and Donovan Leitch, but it covered them in a way that suggested that they’re muddling though parenthood and trying to create a good life for their kids like the rest of us. You could indulge in a little aspirational lifestyle reading without feeling completely sick to your stomach by the time you reached the last page; best of all, it took it for granted that children and parents come in all colors and deserve to be represented. Like Milk, but American, rainbow-hued, and less cool-cool obsessed.
Unfortunately, a year ago, subscribers received a postcard notifying them that publication was being suspended. Seeking an update, I caught up with Keki, who explained that her financial backer abruptly pulled out, leaving their in-a-garage operation in the lurch. She sounded pretty down about the situation, but talks with a new possible investor are ongoing and there may be some positive news in a month or so. Subscribers seem content to wait; Keki said that only two had requested their money back. Back issues of the original four-issue run are still available though the Violet website (but be patient — orders are filled once a month).
Why am I on about this? It’s just a parenting magazine, right? Well, I sometimes feel that issues surrounding our children are the last bastion where racism is tacitly allowable. (Look no further than the American school system, from daycare to academia, if you claim not to know what I mean.) Media representations of children and family — especially in magazines — reflect, on a basic level, what is considered adorable, desirable, supportable. As I wrote to Cookie’s editor, brown people have money and love their children, and I’m not interested in supporting any enterprise that actually works to pretend we don’t exist. So here’s hoping that Violet makes a much-needed return, on the double.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I’m so happy to read this. I subscribed to Violet Magazine back in 2005 and received my single issue which featured Laird Hamilton. I loved the magazine and was left in the dark when future editions did not arrive and their web site was never updated. I knew that Keki was trying to pull the magazine off with what seemed to be an “in-a-garage operation” and never requested my money back. Truth be told I was hopeful the magazine would come back again and I would find a treasure in my mail box!
I uncovered my prized single edition today and went searching to find out what ever happened to Violet Magazine. While the web site still isn’t updated I did find some answers here in your post. Thank you for the update and for your honest commentary about Cookie’s milky white out look on parenting.