"Women's accessories." To what extent is this an adequate description of the representation of men in Cosmopolitan Magazine?

“The content of women’s magazines varies from title to title, but they all share a common aim – to guide women on how to be ‘better’.”

This statement is very true and can be seen in the very early women’s magazines to the magazines aimed at women these days, however the idea of “better” has changed with time.

Women’s magazines have influenced generations of women providing an aspect of self help and improvement.  This tradition is evident in women’s magazines today, especially in Cosmopolitan, however the advice is very different to what it was in early publications of women’s magazines due to changes in society.  The Ladies’ Mercury was one of the earliest articles on home management and fiction.  The contents of early magazines were rather dull and reflected the editior’s views on how young women should behave.

“The editor of The Ladies’ Diary determined that his magazine should advice his readers: ‘What all young women ought to be- innocent, modest, instructive and agreeable’.”3

This is far from what women’s magazines present today, due to feminists fighting for and obtaining equal rights for women, allowing them to gain more dominant roles in society and move into the workplace resulting in most women’s magazines being edited and published by women themselves, so presenting the dominant values and ideologies believed by women to produce what women want to read.  However, it could be said when considering the hypodermic needle theory that it is the values put forward in the media that influence women, which I will discuss further.

Developments in printing technologies and distribution made magazines more available.  There became a new audience of working women who read all-fiction weeklies and the new magazine industry was supported by companies who realised they could advertise in these magazines read by the new audience who had their own money to spend.  In the second world war these magazines became noticed as an important form of communication with the female population and began to provide advice such as how to stretch food rations.  After the war the fictional content of magazines was mixed with fashion, furnishing and food.4

During the 1960’s the Women’s Liberation Movement began to campaign to change women’s role in society, so traditional women’s publications changed.  Cosmopolitan existed in America since 1886 as a fiction magazine but at this time became a new magazine for the “sexually liberated woman”.4  As the magazine had stared to lose circulation and advertising Helen Gurley Brown was named editor to transform cosmopolitan.  She had written a best-selling book called Sex and The Single Girl which was received very well and so she had the idea of creating a new magazine based on the philosophy of her book, advising girls how to get the best from their lives, jobs and relationships and a large part of the magazine’s success was down to her personality.  She believed that there were millions of girls out there looking for self-improvement, an interesting job and a better sex life.  Cosmopolitan approached these topics with frankness and intimacy, previously unknown to women’s magazines, yet many magazines have followed the example of Cosmopolitan due to observing it’s success.1  Helen Gurley Brown became an outspoken supporter of women’s sexual freedom providing them with role models and guide in her magazine. She claimed that women could have it all “love, sex and money”.  Her work played a big part in the sexual revolution when oral contraceptives became more widely available and the generation started to experimented with sex outside the boundaries of marriage. 

The first issue of the new image magazine sold over a million copies and in 1971 NatMags were informed that Cosmopolitan was coming to Britain.  The National Magazine Company started publishing the magazine in March 1972 and the publicity was huge.  It was constantly making the headlines, fuelled by a rumour that the second issue was to feature a male nude, something which women’s magazines had never encountered before.  This all came at a time when women’s independence was growing and Cosmopolitan gave them the message they wanted to hear.  Cosmopolitan still claims to be the most influential women’s magazine in the world.  It currently has a total circulation of 456,447 and an adult readership of 1,956,000, 1,805,000 of this being female and 151,000 being male.  The magazine is known for creating the “cosmopolitan girl” who could attract men, have a career, make the best of herself and improve her sex life.  It is aimed at socio-economic groups A, B and C1.  The target audience are obviously women, in their mid to late twenties.  The type of women who read cosmopolitan are said to be: “Intelligent and independent, she is determined to succeed in her career, her social life and her relationships… She understands that self fulfilment comes from having fun and indulging herself, as much as from work and financial achievements.”1  Cosmopolitan magazine is said to be for “fun, fearless females.”  The magazine’s website states the brand promise and core buyer declaring:

“Sex, men and shopping are an essential part of her life.  She is part of a post-feminist generation who assume they have equal rights.  She has grown up in a world that has grown smaller and more accessible, so is far less constrained by society’s rules, physical boundaries or tradition than her predecessors.  She will judge her success on her own terms.” 

Cosmopolitan puts forward the same values that all women’s magazines do, reinforcing hegemony.  The first message is to stay young and beautiful.  Pages of women’s magazines are filled with fashion and beauty advice alongside advertisements needed to fulfil this goal.  There are also suggestions on how to improve home, health and careers.  Each magazine wished to develop a loyalty with the reader to the magazine month after month by involving them in a club like membership.