Hate Zine

July 24, 2018
Culture & Music
Words:
Matt Robinson

We caught up with Luisa Le Voguer Couyet, the founder of Hate Zine and spoke about activism, publishing and the launch of the new issue, titled ‘Love’.

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Firstly, tell me about the zine and how it came into being?
I’ve always been attracted to magazines and a few years ago my friend Scarlett Carlos Clarke helped me organise some of my drawings and ideas into something more tangible. I really hope to use Hate as a way of discussing and promoting ideas surrounding social justice issues, as well as reminding people that that art and creativity are vital forms of expression especially in such tumultuous political times.
What was the reaction to the zine? Did it capture the zeitgeist?
We did get some positive responses I think because of the fact that we started Hate during a time when DIY zine culture was having a huge resurgence.

Left & Right: Luisa by Matt Robinson

What issue are we on and how is it going?
Hate is now on issue 5 – The Love Issue which I’ve dedicated to River, Scarlett’s baby – which is exciting! It’s taken me ages to complete this one, but I finally got the proof back from the printer, Ex Why Zed, last week which is a massive relief. Sadly, Scarlett is no longer editing the zine with me as she’s just had beautiful River, but I decided to carry on anyway. I’ve also started to release archive work on our website (www.hatezine.co.uk) as well as beginning to venture into using film/documentary as a useful medium.
Is it getting easier or harder?
Initially it was hard to comprehend doing everything on my own, especially as I’d never used InDesign or Photoshop before, although it does get easier to make decisions about editing and understanding the whole process.
What do you want to say to the world, your audience, what action do you want to come from the zine?
That life is too short to concern yourself with bullshit, that nothing really matters, that everything will come to an end, so we may as well learn to love and accept ourselves and others in light of this. I want people to feel empowered to pursue the things they really care about, to protect the planet we live on, and to fight injustice in society. I realise that the zine will never specifically achieve these objectives but I just think it’s important to remind people of the power that lies within them!
List 5 things you would change tomorrow: social, political & environmental?
I would ban fracking and begin transitioning towards green energy by giving all households solar panels, assist people in generating their own energy, incentivising people to use bikes by creating safer bicycle lanes and making bikes cheaper, and taxing oil, flights, cars and roads (it’s unpopular, but so are the effects of climate change).
I would redistribute wealth in society by implementing higher taxes and abolishing offshore tax havens for businesses. I would also halt the privatisation of the NHS and renationalise all the railways and any other services that the public have lost to privatisation and capitalism.
I would make it illegal for governments to be so heavily influenced by corporations and I would ban all adverts, or enforce strict guidelines.
I would give every luxury flat in the UK to a refugee or asylum seeker, homeless individual, or anybody else in need (single parents, low-wage people, students, disabled people, etc.).
I would ensure that the media, arts, creative industries, fashion, publishing, politics, academics, business, etc., are controlled and run by a wide range of minorities encompassing all races, genders, sexualities, classes, and abilities.

Above: Luisa by Matt Robinson

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