Be YOU &
Live FREELY
B.G.U. stands for Be（自由）
自由, pronounced jiyuu or G.U. means freedom in Japanese.
We believe freedom stems from the ability to express and educate yourself.
That's why we aim to create an open and safe space where everyone and anyone can explore, learn, and express themselves reflect.
We are a queer, intersectional zine and collective, making a difference one page at a time.
1. B.G.U. is a free, paper based zine
Yes, you're reading this online. BUT, B.G.U. started as and continues to be a free paper based zine. Why is it free in the competitive field of printed publishing? Why do we emphasize paper in this time of online everything? Because as a free paper based zine, we get to reach an audience who normally may not think about gender issues, self love, queerness, feminism, mental health or other various and diverse topics that we cover. Paper allows direct communication which sparks conversation. You might see us in the chaotic streets of Harajuku or the concrete jungle of New York City, passing out our handmade zines, trying to get our and your message across.
2. We are a bilingual English/Japanese zine
Although we are based in Tokyo (Japan) , our team of writers, artists, and activists are from all over the world. So are our readers and contributors! We write and coordinate in Japanese and English in order to interact and communicate with a wider audience. B.G.U. can also be used as a means of language learning, either for readers who are already bilingual or readers who are learning English/Japanese.
3. Anyone can and should participate
We want to break boundaries. . Not only the barriers of gender, race, ability, sexuality, and other stereotypes which bind us, but also the wall that often exists between media source and audience. & we prioritize a queer and intersectional perspective in everything we do. Whether it's through photography, artwork, writing, editing, or coordinating, we want to invite everyone to become part of the movement and express themselves.
4. B.G.U. is made with lots of love
We're not perfect. No-one is. That's what makes us and you so great! But, we do tackle everything with love and lots of passion. We develop and create relationships with all our contributors. We hand make our zines. We are a group of unique and determined individuals