is waif
WAIF: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
“What does that mean?” was the very first thought to cross my mind when I stumbled upon Waif. Not knowing what to expect I dove head-first into some issues of this so- called magazine.
“Wow, this is actually really great!” I was stunned, this digest named “Waif” was so cool and the idea of a “waif” was just so not.
“Waif...what kind of name is Waif? You know, come to think of it...I’m not really sure I even know what that means. I mean I know that there was a character referred to as ‘the waif’ in Game of Thrones but that was just a dirty young kid, that can’t possibly be what this magazine is talking about.”
waif
noun (1) \ ˈwāf \
Definition of waif 1a: a stray person or animal especially: a homeless child
“So, a waif is a misfit? Okay, maybe I’m getting somewhere with this!” I decided that going directly to the source for more information would be the thing to do, this would definitely point me in the right direction toward enlightenment. I would ask Waif Magazine themselves how in the world the idea of a young person who appears homeless or malnourished left such a lasting impression on them that it would become the name of their publication! Knuckles cracked, I was ready to get some answers out of these people!
"I was stunned, this digest named “Waif” was so cool and the idea of a “waif” was just so not."
“Dear Waif,
Where on Earth did the inspiration come from to name your magazine “waif” of all things? Sincerely,
An intrigued, new reader”
Patiently awaiting a response I saw I had a new message. This was it, this was this time I would finally have an explanation! However, to my surprise, my inquiry to Waif was countered with none other than a question of their own:
“Hi!
Thanks for reading Waif! Great question, I’m actually curious to know what you think! What does Waif mean to you?”
Well, without further ado, here is what Waif means to me! Waif is unconventional. Waif is sassy. Waif is today. Waif is the future! These are some of the qualities I find Waif and I share most in common, actually. It is incredibly refreshing to know that there is a magazine out there to tell our narrative on today’s society as young people! It’s not Cosmo clueing us in on “how to make him love you” or “what he really thinks about your pet rock” or whatever other patriarchal tidbits they are urged to share with the public. Disclaimer: not going to lie, I do like to dabble in their hot celebrity gossip and read their horoscopes every once in a full moon!
Waif doesn’t have a traditional name like Vogue or Time or Better Homes and Gardens because Waif is not a traditional magazine and neither are its readers! It doesn’t tell you how to dress like Harper’s Bazaar or your mother. If Waif has any kind of “agenda” at all, it’s to just be yourself because no one does it better and you are sooo good doing it! Waif speaks to me in a language I know as well as English, and far better than my very limited Spanish: Millennial! It’s our constant challenging of the rules and status quo that we Millennials are famous for. That is what Waif captures to me.
Before falling in love with this magazine I didn’t know what it meant to be Waif or if it was something I wanted to be but, now I can conclude with complete certainty not only do I want to be, I always have been waif.