Before men’s magazines become a part of popular culture this realm was dedicated to the female consumer, but in 1933 Esquire set out to change that stereotype. Kenon Breazeale’s purpose in writing ‘In Spire of Women’ is to make people understand that men’s magazines, specifically Esquire promote a sexualized image of women solely for a man’s satisfaction. In doing so Brezeale argues that Esquire contributed to the growth of the male consumer by making women an object of the male fetish that serves as only an annoyance to society. Breazeale is able to argue that Esquire is a rejection to the power of femininity by explaining how Esquire adapts to a consumer-based culture where it emphasizes the difference between masculinity and femininity These visual representation are known as pin-ups and described as, “Prototypically blonde with large breasts, tiny waist, small buttocks, and long, slender legs, she is a specifically Caucasian archetype of erotic appeal” (Breazele 77). By only focusing on the female body in Esquire’s illustrations the magazine is taking away the idea that females have control of their body. Each woman featured in the magazine is pictured as described above, in doing so women are portrayed in an unrealistic sense and men expect real-life women to look like this skewed image of the female body. For this reason, women no longer feel confident in their body and feel the pressure of the male gaze to look like the images in magazines like Esquire. It was also said that these images were used to market to the straight-male consumer in order to reject any interest women might have in the magazine or any homosexual male. Esquire attempted to make all readers of their magazine think the same and this included making them all have the same idea of what made a female attractive. This meant that women would no longer see differences between each other as something positive, but instead all women would strive for the unrealistic perfection represented in Esquire’s visuals. Pin-ups become a staple of Esquire’s magazines because they truly showed the best features of a women all combined into one disproportionate sex
Both Vanity Fair and A Room of One’s Own explore and challenge the idea that women are incapable of creating a name and a living for themselves, thus are completely dependent on a masculine figure to provide meaning and purpose to their lives. Thackeray, having published Vanity Fair in 1848, conforms to the widely accepted idea that women lack independence when he makes a note on Ms Pinkerton and remarks “the Lexicographer’s name was always on the lips of the majestic woman… [He] was the cause of her reputation and her fortune.” The way that a man’s name was metaphorically “always on the lips of the majestic woman” and how he was the source of “her reputation and her fortune” expresses this idea, especially through Thackeray’s skilful use of a sanguine tone to communicate that this cultural value, or rather inequality, was not thought of as out of the ordinary. From viewing this in a current light and modernised perspective...
Ed. Katherine E. Kurzman, Kate Sheehan Roach, and Stasia Zomkowski. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 1998. 242,243. Print.
People have used women in print media to sell their products since the mid-19th century. The women in the ads were portrayed with thin waists, large breasts and stylish clothing. As the roaring 1920’s moved in, American women scored voting rights and birth control. Due to World War I, it became necessary for women to work. The print world began to portray women in a boyish, sexy fashion. Hemlines rose for sex appeal. Breasts were bound so women didn’t appear too feminine in the work-place. Hair was cut shorter for convenience and the flapper-girl was born.
In the past few years, advertisement has changed significantly, and with it bringing many changes to our current society. Susan Bordo, a modern feminist philosopher, discussed in her article “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body” how current society has changed starting with Calvin Klein’s advertising campaign that showed men wearing nothing but underwear. Bordo argues how men are becoming the subject of the gaze, just as women were for centuries. This argument of the gaze is especially pronounced in John McTiernan’s film The Thomas Crown Affair, which focuses on two main characters, a man named Thomas Crown, who is a billionaire Manhattan financier, and a woman named Catherine Banning, and insurance investigator who is investigating Crown’s robbery of the 100-million-dollar painting, the “San Giorgio Maggiore Soleil Couchant”. The film addresses Bordo’s modern feminine and masculine gaze to target a wide range of adult audience.
...ce in society. And the effects of the ideals behind these magazines are all the more powerful because of their subtlety." Women walk away from these magazines with an empty feeling and feelings of many inadequacies and they really don't know exactly why. The subtle undermining of women's intelligence and cause strips away their sense of worth ever so slowly and leaves them feeling depressed and in search of something that really can't exist together. Growing old while staying young takes many years of complete and internal happiness not many years of collagen injections and the added stress of having to stay unattainably perfect. While some consider these journalists for women's magazines talented writers, I consider them horrendous displays of talent in which they sell out the naturally beautiful women of the world for a quick buck and a popular magazine.
In this essay I intend to look at two magazine covers aimed at the adult female market one magazine, Marie Claire, is aimed at heterosexual females the other, Diva, at lesbian females. Now in order to make that simplistic statement I have already used semiotic information, for Diva the sub title "For the lesbian in you" was enough to give me a pointer, sorry signifier, in the right direction. For Marie Claire I relied upon my wife.
In 1877, Wilde accepted a job as editor of The Women’s World magazine, a fashion magazine for women. The Women’s World took a drastic change with Wilde in charge. Instead of displaying fashion in a shallow sense, Wilde encouraged the magazine to, “...invite debate over the legitimacy of women’s voices in mainstream British society while featuring consumable icons of femininity such as fans, lace, and feathers” (Green 103). By changing The Women’s World, Wilde became the editor of not just a fashion magazine, but a magazine that stood as an advocate for the women of his time period and an argument against the restrictions which held women back in Victorian society. Because of Wilde’s experience in the feminist environment of The Women’s World, he could expand his argument against the ideas of marriage and gender in the Victorian Era to readers who knew him as an established author, a person to be
“…there are the fashion magazines that focus on beauty, attracting and satisfying men, self-improvement, and (occasionally) work and politics. Examples are Vogue (emphasizing fashion and makeup), Cosmopolitan (emphasizing sexuality and relationships with men), and Self (emphasizing self-improvement and employment) …” (Shaw and Lee, p509)
A women’s magazine provides a detailed intake on women’s life. Magazines are filled with a vast variety of content as well as advertisements. One single advertisement on a certain product can give the readers an inclusive intake on what if occuring in American culture. American culture is expanding with an open mind on new possibilities, especially diversity and the December 2017 issue of Vogue sets a perfect example of this. Aside from the issue being an interesting read, the readers of this magazine get to learn a lot about what has occured over the years in American culture in different aspects, such as, dance, fashion and many more. The cultural shifts that have occurred also impact the products that women value the most in life. These
It is difficult to set an explicitly pornographic magazine aside and hold it singly responsible for the degradation of women in society because we see pornographic images in every facet of contemporary media culture. But Playboy, as the "spearhead of the sexual revolution" (Stern and Stern 389), carries disproportionate responsibility for the cultural devaluing of women because of its powerful role as the world's leading pornography magazine and because of its iconic status in U.S. popular culture. In Playboy's crusade to liberate human sexuality from its puritan past, it was apparently unable to distinguish liberation from the exploitation and objectification of women as a viable expression of sexual freedom. Proponents of Playboy Magazine attempt to pass it off as a harmless testimony to human beauty, sexuality and freedom, but in fact, Playboy Magazine is an insidious proponent of constricted and oppressive sexuality achieved through the commodification of women's sexuality and lives, and through misogynistic and culturally insensitive literature and cartoons.
Identity is a subject commonly discussed within literature. In William Farrell’s essay entitled “Men as Success Objects” this subject is the object of much scrutiny. Farrell analyzes the role of gender in today’s society and states that male identity is in a condition where male insecurities about success, their appearance, and females have left most men in today’s society in dire straights. Compounded by prevailing ultra-feminist ideals, society has become saturated by the “men are jerks” mentality. This condition can be seen in various aspects of society such as commercials, television programs, even greeting cards (Farrell, 186). While some may not agree with his opinions on the state of male identity, Farrell uses a number of rhetorical strategies and literary devices such as an objective point of view, an intellectual tone, and appeals to both logos and ethos in order to effectively convey belief that men are treated as “success objects” in today’s society.
Most photos and titles draw in the male gaze, with female bodies half-naked paired with ‘Ladies love this!’. Pairing these particular items together creates an atmosphere which reinforces male expectations and norms to their audience. GQ, while appearing as a harmless fashion magazine, sends out a number of subconscious messages to their viewers of what it means to be a well-respected, successful male in today’s world. Gentlemen Quarterly, like many other magazines, implements the gender binary into its readers through its advertisements and articles.
Simply glancing at the magazine section, while waiting in the checkout line, any individual, man or woman, is able to make their own assumptions about how they are perceived and how they are supposed to behave from article headlines, such as those in February’s Marie Claire which included: “Fire up His Desire”, “Sexy or Skanky?”, “Best Beauty Bargains Ever”, “What his Cell Phone Style says about him”, and more advice related to fashion and health. These headlines give...
The female body has been a subject of wonder throughout art history, but present day the media has made a woman’s body an object for sexual gratification. For example in the image of Sports Illustrated, Kate Upton is shown wearing a skimpy bikini. By revealing almost every part of her anatomy, it completely eliminates any trace of modesty, and undermines her respect from the viewer. Her red bikini connotes sexuality and passion; and the use of direct eye contact implies that Upton is in a position of power, and is able to influence the response of men due to her sex ...
The New Yorker, with 47 publications each year, often generates some debate. In July 2007, the literary magazine released its latest issue. The cover included the title, price, edition, and three differently dressed women sitting on a bench. The first woman’s face and body are covered, except for her eyes. The second, with long blonde hair, is wearing a halter top, short shorts, sunglasses, and flip flops. The third is wearing a tunic and veil. Our first impressions are often stereotypical, and we must look deeper than the cover. Immediately, different conclusions are drawn based on each woman’s appearance. Just from this magazine cover, we can assume different things about each individual: including her religion, self image, and family life.