Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print

As "Dear Md.: A Revolution In Print" (2025 release; 111 min.) opens, Gloria Steinem, one of the founders of Ms., recalls freelancing in the early 70's, covering the women's liberation movement. Several other women joined Steinem, convinced there was an audience for a feminist magazine. Alas, they could not find investors. It led the women-founders of Ms. To publish 1 trial issue, with no assurance that they would continue beyond that trial issue. At this point we are 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this documentary in essence is a two-for-one: the history of how Ms. Magazine came about and then flourished, and an assessment of the feminist issues that it magazine covered. The documentary consists of three parts, each of which is directed by a different director (female directors, of course). While the early years focused on equality for women, the magazine eventually took on topics that were taboo for other magazines: domestic violence, sexual harassment, pornography, etc. It all makes for compelling viewing, with extensive interviews of the women who founded or worked at the magazine. If you are wondering, Ms. Magazine continues to publish to this very day.

"Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print" recently started airing in HBO and is also streaming on HBO Max, where I caught it last night. The documentary is currently rated 100% Certified Fresh o Rotten Tomatoes, which is frankly overly generous. That aside, if you are interested in female equality and other such issues or in the publication history of a magazine covering those issues, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.