Vice Versa was the project of Lisa Ben (an anagram of "lesbian"), real name: Edythe Eyde, a secretary at RKO Studios in Los Angeles.

[1][2] By her own account, she had "a lot of time to herself" at work[3] and, starting in June 1947, "twice each month typed out five carbons and one original of Vice Versa (a technique she had picked up as a member of science fiction fandom).

[5] She described the intention of the magazine being to create "a medium through which we may express our thoughts, our emotions, our opinions – as long as material was 'within the bounds of good taste'".

"[6] As examples of the 'defining qualities' of the magazine, Jim Kepner, founder and curator of the International Gay and Lesbian Archives cites Vice Versa's mix of editorials, short stories, poetry, book and film reviews and a letters column as setting "the pattern that hundreds [of gay and lesbian magazines] have followed".

[2] The editor expressed the hope that "perhaps Vice Versa might be the forerunner of better magazines dedicated to the third sex, which, in some future time, might take their rightful place on the newsstands beside other publications, to be available openly and without restriction.