Difference between revisions of "Dimensions Magazine"

Revision as of 22:49, 11 March 2020

Dimensions Magazine Issue 41, art by Ned Sonntag

Dimensions Online is a complement to Dimensions Magazine which is published bimonthly as a forum for those with a preference for the large figure and the people who attract them. It explains relationships, experiences, fat sex, and sexuality from the unique perspective of BBWs and their admirers and reports on issues of obesity, health, lifestyles, and media perceptions. Dimensions Magazine also provides adult entertainment including fiction and photo features with fat-related themes. Dimensions has hundreds of personal ads from big women and their admirers.

Dimensions Magazine is the name of a now defunct plus-size magazine, as well as a size acceptance community that grew out of the magazine's website. Dimensions Wide Angle Video Productions were sold through Dimensions. They were the original owner of the DimensionsGirls modeling network.

Magazine History

Dimensions Magazine evolved out of a civil-rights-group newsletter. NAAFA (National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) was the original size acceptance advocacy group in the United States aimed at big people. A FA (fat admirer) 'special interest group' (FA-SIG) was formed to discuss FA issues, and a black-and-white paper newsletter, also named FA-SIG, was started for that group. Several covers were drawn by Susan Mason. After a naming competition, the newsletter evolved into Dimensions Magazine.

Dimensions Magazine was published by Shardco Inc in Albany, New York, starting in 1984. The owner of Dimensions also owned and published Pen Computing Magazine. Most cartoon covers from 1985 onward were drawn by Ned Sonntag, and in 1989 the magazine introduced color pin-up covers of real models using glossy paper with Issue 42. The magazine featured aspiring models, some of whom became successful online in the years following. The publication of Dimensions Magazine ended in 2002 with Issue 88.

Website and Forum

Soon after the mainstream adoption of the internet, Dimensions created a website, posting columns and weight gain stories featured in the magazine as well as running competitions for aspiring models for their publication. Elsewhere, a woman known as BBW-QT created a website featuring personal ads for BBWs and FAs, which included a discussion board and a chatroom. The website's bandwidth charges soon became too much for BBW-QT to continue supporting, as the popularity of the forum and chatroom increased dramatically, so a deal was made for Dimensions to absorb the discussion board and chatroom, while BBW-QT closed her site. The new Dimensions community grew and by the late 1990's, Dimensions had become widely regarded as THE online site for fat admiration.

In 1997, the magazine became one of the first regular online magazines. The website began advertising and selling Dimensions Wide Angle Video Productions - soft-core pictorials that featured BBWs. Of these, most heavily promoted was The Feeding Fantasies of Betsy, which introduced feederism to many. They also started DimensionsGirls modeling network, which eventually became part of BigCuties.

The original publisher eventually retired from running the website and sold the whole enterprise in 2015 to a company that runs a number of community forums. Despite several failed attempts to monetize Dimensions, they continue to support it. Due to technical issues, the chat room eventually shut down. The discussion boards have continued to this day, and remain a popular place for discussion of BBW and FA issues.

Issues

(incomplete)

FA-SIG

Issue #	Date	Cover
1	?	150px
2	?	150px
3	?	150px
4	?	150px
5	?	150px
6	?	150px
7	?	150px
8	?	150px
9	?	150px
10	?	150px
11	?	150px
12	?	150px
13	?	150px
14	?	150px
15	?	150px
16	?	150px
17	?	150px
18	?	150px
19	?	150px
20	?	150px
21	June 1987
22	August 1987
23	October 1987
24	January 1988
25	March 1988
26	May 1988
27	?	150px

Dimensions Magazine

Volumes 1-14

Issue #	Date	Cover	Featured Model(s)
28	September 1988
29	December 1988
30	February 1989
31	?	150px
32	?	150px
33	?	150px
34	November 1989
35	?	150px	?
36	March 1990		Roz Thomas
37	May 1990		Susan Ziman
38	?	150px	?
39	September 1990		Seaside Fun
40	November 1990	150px	Candy Gram
41	January 1991	150px	Teighlor
42	March/April 1991 (first color cover)	150px	Petra
43	?		?
44	?		?
45	?		?
46	?	150px	?
47	?		?
48	?	150px	?
49	May/June 1992		The Lady Sings the Blues
50	?		?
51	October/November 1992		Gabrielle Gloor
52	?		?
53	?		?
54	May 1993		New England Bounty
55	July 1993		Linda
56	September 1993		Deidra
57	November 1993		Susan & Mary
58	February 1994		Rhonda Oliver & Betsy
59	April 1994		Heather & Raynea
60	June 1994		Pam, Dee & Betsy
61	August 1994		Raynae & Cyndy Lybrand
62	November 1994		Growing Joy
63	January 1995		Paulette
64	April 1994		Rachel Sabo
65	June 1995		Deborah Cinkus
66	August 1995		Lovely Tina
67	November 1995		Carol Mackintosh & buMpers
68	?		?
69	?	150px	?
70	July 1996		Gina & Suzan
71	September 1996		Grace & Karen
72	November 1996		Patty & Victoria
73	February 1997		Catherine & Cathy
74	April 1997		Zsalynn & Cindy
75	July 1997		Heather & Lisa
76	September 1997		Cat & Michelle
77	November 1997		Dove & Cari
78	February 1998		Bella & Char
79	June 1998		Terra & Diva
80	August 1998		The Beach Babes & Jamie-Marie
81	December 1998		Victorian Lace & Jensen
82	April/May 1999		Anna & Electra
83	September 1999		Tina & Cleacia
84	January 2000		Karen & Belly Dancing Fatimas
85	June 2000		Kelly & Bobbie