Dear Ms: How HBO’s Documentary Reveals Feminist Magazine’s Radical Legacy

Crikey, if you’d told me I’d be properly emotional over a documentary about a 50-year-old magazine, I’d have thought you were having a laugh. But here I am, three episodes deep into HBO’s ‘Dear Ms: A Revolution in Print’, absolutely gobsmacked by how this groundbreaking feminist publication changed the game for women’s rights – and why it matters more than ever in 2025.

Wonder Woman and the Magazine That Dared

Picture this: It’s 1972, and Wonder Woman’s towering over a city on Ms magazine’s first official cover. But the real superheroes? The all-women team behind the scenes who’d already tested the waters with a cheeky insert in New York magazine months earlier. When those 300,000 copies flew off the shelves in just eight days, even the biggest naysayers had to pipe down.

What makes this documentary properly special is how it weaves personal stories with massive cultural shifts. Remember how we all binged “Mrs. America” a few years back? This hits different – it’s the real deal, with actual footage that’ll make your jaw drop.

Three Directors, One Revolutionary Tale

The documentary’s split into three episodes, each helmed by a different director – Salima Koroma, Alice Gu, and Cecilia Aldarondo. It’s like getting three different perspectives on your favorite true crime series, except this crime is the systematic oppression of women (too dark?).

What’s proper clever is how they tackle heavy topics – domestic violence, workplace harassment, race, sexuality – without making you want to crawl under your duvet and never come out. The archival footage is fascinating, but it’s the interviews with the original staff that’ll proper do your head in. These women were absolute legends!

From 1972 to 2025: Why It Still Hits Home

Watching this in 2025, when we’re still battling for equal pay and reproductive rights (don’t get me started on the latest Parliament debates), it’s wild to see how many of Ms magazine’s original stories could’ve been written yesterday. And isn’t that just a bit depressing?

But here’s the thing – it’s also properly inspiring. If Gloria Steinem and her crew could shake things up with just 40 pages in 1971, imagine what we can do with all our fancy tech and social media nowadays?

FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

Where can I watch ‘Dear Ms: A Revolution in Print’?

The documentary is streaming now on HBO Max UK and Sky Atlantic. You can binge all three episodes at once (go on, treat yourself) or space them out if you’re fancy.

Do I need to know about feminism to watch this?

Absolutely not! The documentary does a brilliant job of explaining everything without being patronising. Plus, if you’ve ever felt frustrated by inequality (who hasn’t?), you’ll get it.

Is it relevant to British viewers?

While Ms was an American magazine, the issues it covered are universal. British feminists like Germaine Greer were part of the same movement, and the documentary shows how these ideas crossed the pond and influenced UK activism.

The Bottom Line

Look, I’m not saying watching ‘Dear Ms’ will change your life, but it might just change how you see the world. It’s a proper reminder of how far we’ve come – and how far we’ve still got to go. Plus, it’s just really good telly.

Fancy a chat about it? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. And if you’re feeling inspired to start your own revolutionary publication, well, that’s exactly what Ms would want!