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Sick: A Compilation Zine on Physical Illness
Sick collects peoples' experiences with illness to help establish a collective voice of those impacted within radical/left/DIY communities. The zine is meant to be a resource for those who are living with illness as well as those who have not directly experienced it themselves. Contributors discuss personal experiences as well as topics such as receiving support, providing support, and being an informed patient. These writings are meant to increase understandings of illness and further discussion as well as action towards building communities of care.
- GenresDisabilityNonfiction
88 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 24, 2024
This zine is fantastic! Working in the world of palliative care and enjoying learning ways to support others, I quickly realized this was akin to my heart. Mostly from the perspectives of younger adults with chronic illness, there are many informative depictions of how chronic illness can make people feel unseen or forgotten and the physical and emotional struggles that come with these illnesses. The testimonies in Sick include instances of self advocacy and advocacy for others, promoting how to be supportive allies to people who experience chronic illness. Many of these illnesses are invisible so I think it’s important everyone read this or at least consider ways to be supportive to people who may be experiencing such conditions.
February 17, 2019
An important collection of stories/articles from those who have experienced, currently experience, or support those with illnesses. The illnesses talked about were varied, from chronic illnesses to heart disease to tissue disorders and cancer, and there was a wide variety of experiences and coping mechanisms discussed. Important reading for anyone, honestly. If you’ve never been ill, most likely someone close to you has, and having the language to deal with illness is an important thing.
April 24, 2022
A collection of stories that together serve as a good reminder for people who aren’t sick of how to be a good human in service to others in a difficult world.
April 29, 2010
It surrounds us. No matter how difficult, awkward, or painful, we will inevitably come into contact with it. But despite its ubiquity, physical illness continues to be one of the most challenging subjects for people to broach.
Sick is a compilation zine on physical illness that offers up the experiences and perspectives of individuals living with illness. Whether dealing with incurable polycystic kidney disease, coping with cancer, or struggling with an unnamed medical condition, each piece, no matter how distinct, explores common themes of support, communication, and community. Each writer concisely documents her or his personal struggle with illness and sheds light onto the stigmatization of sickness and deep-seated taboos that hinder dialogue. Apart from exploring the painful consequences of living in a society unaccustomed to discussing illness, the writers offer valuable tools that teach us to be considerate and helpful allies.
Sick gracefully navigates its way through a wide range of experiences as it aims to open the channels of communication and establish a collective voice for those impacted by illness. How do we respond when someone tells us they are sick? How many people in our community are transparent about having a disability or illness? What can we do to help each other feel welcome, equal, and supported?
The zine also considers exclusivity within radical/DIY/punk scenes. How does someone’s level of health determine their participation in a particular community? Riding a bicycle, marching in a protest, and dumpster diving, for instance, are activities accessible primarily to the able-bodied. To avoid being ostracized or dismissed, many sick individuals find themselves pushed into the proverbial closet of shame and isolation.
In our culture, sickness is a private affair. We have been socialized to fear or ignore it. Consequently, sick people must not only learn to manage their own disease, but are often burdened with others’ inability to openly discuss and cope with illness. Often racked with feelings of guilt, isolation, and alienation, it is essential that a sick person’s experiences are acknowledged and validated. This is what Sick achieves. It opens dialogue and validates experience. Perhaps we cannot understand what it means to have supraventricular tachycardia, but we can learn to listen and ask our friends how we can provide the support they need.
Though the accounts in Sick can be grim or downright disturbing, the writers’ warm resilience brightens every page with hope for opening discourse and dismantling entrenched social norms. It’s the writers’ heartfelt declarations and earnest desire to create a caring community that makes this read so compelling.
Sick is a compassionate, honest work and a necessary first step toward understanding the complexities of physical illness and building communities of support. It is challenging and tender; it is unprecedented and accessible.
Review by Sofia Marin
Sick is a compilation zine on physical illness that offers up the experiences and perspectives of individuals living with illness. Whether dealing with incurable polycystic kidney disease, coping with cancer, or struggling with an unnamed medical condition, each piece, no matter how distinct, explores common themes of support, communication, and community. Each writer concisely documents her or his personal struggle with illness and sheds light onto the stigmatization of sickness and deep-seated taboos that hinder dialogue. Apart from exploring the painful consequences of living in a society unaccustomed to discussing illness, the writers offer valuable tools that teach us to be considerate and helpful allies.
Sick gracefully navigates its way through a wide range of experiences as it aims to open the channels of communication and establish a collective voice for those impacted by illness. How do we respond when someone tells us they are sick? How many people in our community are transparent about having a disability or illness? What can we do to help each other feel welcome, equal, and supported?
The zine also considers exclusivity within radical/DIY/punk scenes. How does someone’s level of health determine their participation in a particular community? Riding a bicycle, marching in a protest, and dumpster diving, for instance, are activities accessible primarily to the able-bodied. To avoid being ostracized or dismissed, many sick individuals find themselves pushed into the proverbial closet of shame and isolation.
In our culture, sickness is a private affair. We have been socialized to fear or ignore it. Consequently, sick people must not only learn to manage their own disease, but are often burdened with others’ inability to openly discuss and cope with illness. Often racked with feelings of guilt, isolation, and alienation, it is essential that a sick person’s experiences are acknowledged and validated. This is what Sick achieves. It opens dialogue and validates experience. Perhaps we cannot understand what it means to have supraventricular tachycardia, but we can learn to listen and ask our friends how we can provide the support they need.
Though the accounts in Sick can be grim or downright disturbing, the writers’ warm resilience brightens every page with hope for opening discourse and dismantling entrenched social norms. It’s the writers’ heartfelt declarations and earnest desire to create a caring community that makes this read so compelling.
Sick is a compassionate, honest work and a necessary first step toward understanding the complexities of physical illness and building communities of support. It is challenging and tender; it is unprecedented and accessible.
Review by Sofia Marin
November 28, 2009
This zine has covers like a book and a binding like a book and looks just like a book.
The important thing about this book is not that it looks really good. What's important about this book is that it deals with sickness in radical communities and the way people treat their friends and comrades when those folks get sick.
The main thing I took away from the book was that most of us will get old and/or sick, so we should stop treating folks who are sick now or have limited mobility as if they are freaks. We need to not drop our friends if/when they start having physical limitations. We need to learn how to support each other.
Reading this book gave me a way to have conversations with my partner about my inevitable demise. It was hard talk, but good talk. And this book may be a hard, sad read, but it has important information for anyone who wants to be loving and supportive.
The important thing about this book is not that it looks really good. What's important about this book is that it deals with sickness in radical communities and the way people treat their friends and comrades when those folks get sick.
The main thing I took away from the book was that most of us will get old and/or sick, so we should stop treating folks who are sick now or have limited mobility as if they are freaks. We need to not drop our friends if/when they start having physical limitations. We need to learn how to support each other.
Reading this book gave me a way to have conversations with my partner about my inevitable demise. It was hard talk, but good talk. And this book may be a hard, sad read, but it has important information for anyone who wants to be loving and supportive.
September 18, 2009
Are you a "1/2 full or 1/2 empty" person? Perhapes a discussion with your friends about this book will help you determine that. A discussion I had after reading an essay aloud to a friend while on a road trip went like this:
Him: wow! why do you like to read sad things like that?
Me: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and so on and so on and so on and some other stuff about reading.
Him: ya, I guess and it definetly makes you appreciate your life.
Me: Or it helps you prepare for the inevitable truth that could come at any moment.
conclusion:
Him - 1/2 full
Me - 1/2 empty (or as I like to say 1/2 prepared)
Him: wow! why do you like to read sad things like that?
Me: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and so on and so on and so on and some other stuff about reading.
Him: ya, I guess and it definetly makes you appreciate your life.
Me: Or it helps you prepare for the inevitable truth that could come at any moment.
conclusion:
Him - 1/2 full
Me - 1/2 empty (or as I like to say 1/2 prepared)
March 3, 2011
A valuable resource zine for those with ongoing illness'/disabilities and the people who support them. In my ideal universe, "the people who support them" would = everyone, but reality is that's just not the case. I really loved this zine, and its insights. Looking forwards to passing it on to a few friends who also work in healthcare.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews