Mother Tongue Magazine: A Fresh Take on Motherhood

Mother Tongue, an independent print magazine founded in 2021 by American writers and mothers Melissa Goldstein and Natalia Rachlin, has released its third issue. The semiannual publication explores motherhood through intimate, relational, and political lenses, addressing topics such as feminism, sexuality, body politics, immigration, and queer families. The second issue (fall/winter 2022-2023) features an interview with porn producer Erika Lust, a conversation on stripping between Bronwen Parker-Rhodes and Emily Dinsdale, and a story by Jessica Ripka about becoming a mother after her sister's death. The third issue includes a piece on queer family by Catherine Opie. The magazine's graphic design, by Vanessa Saba, is described as "fresh, modern and unfussy, but also punchy and fun." Goldstein and Rachlin draw inspiration from design magazines like Apartamento and PIN-UP, aiming to create a non-stereotypical visual language. The founders, based in Houston and Los Angeles respectively, with designer Saba in New York, plan to continue the project with irreverence and freedom of expression, engaging even non-mothers.