On the cover of Girl Swirl Fanzine #3, three lines of text splay across the bottom: "This is an information zine for women and girls. It is a source of knowledge and a part of the revolution. It is for you, it is for your best friend, and it is for your little sister."

Oooh. Them's fightin' words.

A lot of zines have found the Grrl Revolution. Some of them that I've seen even talk a good talk about feminism and being a woman. But GSF #3 walks the walk with an in-your-face attitude and a focus on education and empowerment from a personal level on up. If only more grrls were like this.

This zine is intellectual. Girls without brains need not apply within -- it blends information with an informal style and entertaining stories that always have a point. The articles in this issue run the gamut from self-protection (don't be a victim, says the subtitle), to rape statistics and rohypnol (the date rape drug), on through contraception and abortion. No punches are pulled, no facts withheld for propriety's sake.

In between those very important bits of information are other articles. An interview with Sarah Dyer of Action Girl goes in-depth with her. A story about an activist that the author met online, who snubbed her in realtime. Lots of things.

If you are female, buy this. It's two bucks, and is a resource you'll look back on again and again. Send your orders (with a nice letter or a well-done trade) to P.O. Box 641, Warminster, PA 18974.

[ by Elizabeth Badurina ]