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what is femku?
fem·ku
femËŒkoÍžo
noun
a feminist haiku, or a haiku written by someone fem-presenting, genderqueer, or assigned female at birth
In September 2017 Rowan Beckett coined the term "femku" in the subtitle of their first book Radical Women: A Book of Femku. Since then, the term has resonated throughout the haiku community, thus pioneering a movement and this journal, a safe space Rowan created for womxn, transgender, and non-binary people to share their work. ​
meet the team!

Rowan Beckett
Founder and Editor
agender, they/them/boneself

Thomas Haynes
Editor
man, he/they

Rowan Beckett is a Melungeon queer, disabled, former thespian who now utilizes haiku for healing and activism. Their work has been featured in: A New Resonance 12, Haiku 2021, as a presenter for Haiku North America (2019, 2021), and co-judge for the HSA Brady Senryu Contest (2022). Rowan has won several awards, including The Short List for the Touchstone Award for Individual Poem (2017, 2019, 2022) and the Trailblazer Award (2023, haiku and tanka). Their sixth book, Hot Girl Haiku, is available for purchase.
Thomas Haynes is the former head editor of Prune Juice Journal, where he worked to elevate senryu as a literary genre and expand senryu to include previously unpublished (or rarely published) subject matters. His first book, leftover ribbon, was shortlisted for the Touchstone Distinguished Book Award. After Amen, his second book, co-authored with poet Jonathan Roman, took 3rd place in the Haiku Society of America’s Merit Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention from the Touchstone Distinguished Book Awards. Thomas is currently working on his master’s degree in educational research.
Vandana Parashar is a postgraduate in Microbiology, an educator and a haiku poet. Her haiku, senryu, and tanka have been published in many national and international journals of repute and has won her many prizes and accolades. Her haiku was also shortlisted for the prestigious Touchstone Award (2020). She is the Associate Editor of haikuKATHA, Feature Columnist for whiptail journal, and part of Poetry Pea's editing team. Her debut e-chapbook, I Am, was published by Title IX Press (now Moth Orchid Press) in 2019 and her second chapbook, Alone, I Am Not, was published by Velvet Dusk Publishing in April 2022.
Vandana Parashar
International Women's Month Editor
woman, she/her
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