Iris: A Magazine for Thinking Young Women

Fall 2007 saw the return of Iris: A Magazine for Thinking Young Women, which has been most warmly received! Iris has a 25-plus year history at U.Va. It began as mimeographed sheets about the Women’s Center, transformed to a national journal for and about women, to a brief incarnation as a largely student publication. It has grown today into a magazine designed for and informed by thinking young women. Like a smart older sister, Iris seeks to illuminate the complex experiences of young women by sharing personal stories of struggle and success. The first issue featured an article by a woman who is the joyfully self-described “queen of the oddballs,” Hilary Carlip; a story by well-known contemporary writer and U.Va. creative writing faculty member Ann Beattie; a column on the HPV vaccine; and an essay by a Goth bride. The first issue was distributed to 10,000 current women students and young alumnae. The next issue will feature an article on the psychology of snap judgments, from choosing jam to speed dating. Iris can be read online at http://womenscenter.virginia.edu/coreprograms/iris.html.