How Has Cosmopolitan Changed Over Time

Cosmopolitan, a magazine geared towards women, was first published in 1866. However, the magazine has dramatically changed over time. The articles featured in Cosmopolitan magazine today would have been shamed many years ago. Cosmopolitan magazine was originally marketed as a fashion magazine, featuring some articles about the home, family and cooking. It’s safe to say it was the “woman’s magazine.” However, now, the magazine is mostly geared towards sex and how a woman can make herself more desirable to men (McGuire). Cosmopolitan sets unrealistic standards for women, oversexualizes women and ignores important intellectual qualities that women possess, all which sets a dangerous example for young women. In March of 2011, Cosmopolitan magazine featured Lea Michele on the cover of that month’s edition. Lea

The unrealistically perfect women featured on the cover, along with the controversial headlines, all serve to draw readers in. Even if someone doesn’t purchase Cosmopolitan, they might at least flip through the pages while standing in line at the grocery store. That being said, Cosmopolitan markets their magazine to impressionable, curious and perhaps already insecure young women. The women most likely to buy Cosmopolitan are probably those that are curious about the sexual nature of the magazine. Or, the magazine appeals to insecure women who believe that this magazine can “teach” them how to be desirable to men, as the headlines on the cover often suggest. Because Cosmopolitan magazine has been a mainstay in the media world for so long, I have to believe that the rhetorical appeals used by the magazine are effective enough to keep current readers reading and to consistently draw in new readers. While those working for Cosmopolitan enjoy the benefits of their magazine’s success, there are millions of young girls negatively affected by Cosmopolitan’s