A Thank You Letter To a Defunct Teen Magazine: Sassy!!

August 17, 2011

Thank you Sassy Magazine for teaching me that it was okay to not be tall, blonde, and blue-eyed. My 4’11˝, brown-skinned self was pretty enough. I appreciated the encouragement for girls like me to be smart, witty, and to sometimes have a snarky sense of humor, but never at the expense of our fellow sisters. Thank you for not assuming my goal in life was to get my MRS. degree, and showing me the path of the feminist way. You did not shy away from controversial subjects like suicide, drug use, or rape because I was a teen. 

You told me life wasn’t easy, especially for a girl. On the other hand, you inspired me to shine brighter than the sun. You stressed to your readers that it was far more important to be interesting than pretty. You didn’t fill your magazine with quizzes asking me to change, instead you helped me embrace my youth and cradle my hope for the future. You were my transition from New Kids on the Block to Pearl Jam and Nirvana. You assured me that life gets better after high school.

I admit, I lost my way and forgot your values. Now that I’m in my thirties, I remember all you taught me and the principles I should live by. I didn’t understand how to implement the lessons at the time, but the older I get the more I heed the advice. Oh how I hope a magazine like yours infiltrates the market again. I hope it teaches this generation and younger that they are so much more than the perfectly tan, thin, glamorous, party girls portrayed on television and in music. They need your help, and women my age need a reminder of what we strived to be. 

For more information on this wonderful magazine, check out How Sassy Changed My Life by Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer

Crystal M-S