Feminism is certainly a hot topic in the world today, and it can provoke a wide array of responses across the board. However, while many clamour to pin down a certain definition or correct attitude to have on the subject, two DU alumnae wanted to instead create a space for an exploration of feminism and the experience of being female.

Creative writing and media studies graduate Camilla Sterne and fine arts graduate Ting-Yu Lin, both of whom graduated from DU in 2014, had been a part of the Alpha Phi sorority on campus. They were best friends, and admired the sisterhood aspect of the organization. While taking a trip across Iceland, Indonesia and Laos during the summer of 2014, Sterne came up with the idea of combining their complementary creative talents to create a feminist publication.

“It’s something that we both care a lot about. We want to bring people into a conversation about feminism and create a community around it,” said Sterne. “We want to learn and be inspired along with readers. We’re not experts on feminism and we’re not talking to experts, we’re just having conversations with ordinary people. You can truly learn from everyone.”

The journal has several components, including casual chats between women about their lives, spotlight features on famous women and interviews with women from the Denver community. The duo interview a new inspiring woman every week, from female tattoo artists to business owners. These women vary not only in their occupations, but also their views of feminism. Some identify as feminist and others don’t, contributing to the honest and explorative publication that Sterne and Lin have created.

“One of my favorite interviews was with visual artists Amber Cobb and Laura Shill. They were very much a creative team, like Ting and I, and also identified as feminists. The interview transcended business and became a thought-provoking conversation. At one point, Laura brought up the question, ‘How do I stay safe without limiting my freedom?’ There are small things, like taking a walk at night, that are restricted to me because I am a woman,’” reflected Sterne. “There was also Julie Deden, the head of the Colorado Center for the Blind. She has been blind her entire life and done and accomplished so much. She has such a wealth of knowledge.”

In terms of her own view of feminism, Sterne reflects that the identity is multi-faceted. Rather than pinning down a definition, she prefers exploring the term and how it affects her.

“I like to think of my view of feminism not as a sentence, but as a landscape. There are experiences I’ve had in my life, and that people have in their lives, that shape my definition,” she said.

She cites her first talk about sex, which revolved around judgement rather than information, as well as a confusing possible sexual assault as two experiences that shaped her view of feminism in particular.
“Three-fourths of the women who we have interviewed have been sexually assaulted. There is a sense of shame, and of being ashamed,” said Sterne. “For me, there was a lot of confusion about why I had made a certain decision. I didn’t realize until later on that it was a decision that had been made for me. Feminism is an important venue to understand and start a conversation about these experiences.”
Sterne also stresses the importance of supporting other women as a part of her feminist identity.

“There can be a strange animosity between women. There is definitely a tendency toward comparison rather than admiration, and it doesn’t have to be that way,” she said.

Triad, which has several DU alumnae among its current staff, including Sarah Ford, Kaye Birkett and Clara Ming, has big plans for the future. Although Sterne and Lin both have other jobs, they dedicate time to interview and publish new content each week.

“It’s a labor of love. It can be demanding, but it is also inspiring and revitalizing for us, and we hope for others as well,” said Sterne.

To read Triad and sign up for updates, go to triadjournal.com. Follow the journal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

To contact Triad about an inspiring women, or to submit art, poetry, musical compositions or letters to the editor, email triadjournal@gmail.com.