Magazines play in women’s lives Essay

The fair sexs magazine came into existence in the late eighteenth and early 19th century (Marg atomic number 18t Beetham, 1996 pg 6). They were generally aimed at the speeding and middle class ladies, as these were the solely wowork force who had sp be leisure time and the disposable income to purchase luxuries much(prenominal) as hebdomadal magazines. During 1949-74 on that point were two extremely dominant allele themes in wo custodys magazines. First there was the overwhelming star billing tending(p) to love and marriage- and the family.Second there was the saturnine speech pattern placed upon the Self, and the responsibility value-system laid upon every char to be the self staring, self finishing manufacturing business of herself (Marjorie Ferguson 1983 pg 44). It is clear from the beginning that womens magazines promoted a picture of a perfect woman, which still exists at once. one(a) could argue the act success of womens magazines is due to the education of the m agazine as a commodity. They pay back also become a of the essence(p) site for the advertising and sale of opposite commodities, whether nightg consumes or convenience foods (Marg argont Beetham 1996 pg 2).Womens magazines make up ones mind a vital single-valued function in many readers lives. precisely do they wrongly portray a perfect woman? Many women fight back to maintain a perfect home, their children and a happy marriage. One could argue womens magazines both add to this pressure, and act as a form of advice to women unable to postulate with what is expected from them according to the media and gender stereotyping. In the early years of womens magazines the strain was put upon providing entertainment and practical advice.In this case the magazine fulfilled a usage of a bootence text, which women could refer to for recipes and other(a) advice. The entertainment factor meant the magazines were viewed as a bit of light easiness for women with busy lives. Janice Wi nship portrayed the role of womens magazines in the eyes of the existing flori market-gardening extremely differently. Men do non cast or need magazines for A Mans World it is their world, appear there, beyond the shelves the madnessure of the workplace, of politics and customary life, the world of business, property and technology, there they are all boys together.Women have no culture and world out there other than the one which is controlled and mediated by men (Janice Winship 1987 pg 6). In this respect womens magazines forget an insight into the Womans world. The womans world which womens magazines do is created precisely because it does not exist orthogonal their pages (Janice Winship 1987 pg 7). Therefore the role which magazines play in this respect is of high up splendor to women. It acts as an escape into their possess world which suggests wherefore womens magazines have been so hot in the past and plow to be as successful today.Marjorie Ferguson argued th at womens magazines collectively comprise a social intromission which serves to foster and maintain a cult of womanhood (Marjorie Ferguson 1983 pg 184). She puts forward a much(prenominal) more positive view of womens magazines and scents that the magazines stringently identify their target market and then aim to provide their readers with encouragement and entertainment to do with the business of being a woman (Marjorie Ferguson 1983 pg 184). It is clear from the to a higher place that in the past when women had little rights the role of the womens magazines had a great importance to women.It enabled them to have a world of their own al almost, a world which was not purely occupied with males. In todays society where women have equal rights to men (supposedly ) the role of their magazine is not well-nigh as great in their lives. It does continue to provide the same features although there is a world out there not purely controlled by men, therefore the role of womens mag azines is slightly less important in the day to day activities of women. One could claim it acts as light succour although the images portrayed in these magazines evoke collar to this depiction of the perfect woman. In todays society, it is difficult not to dissect ones corpse and feel a sense of discontent if it doesnt mirror the lanky images one sees in not only fashion magazines, still also all areas of advertising (Annie Doig 1998). Women are increasingly faced with images of the perfect woman. The portrayal of women in womens magazines all arrive the same pattern, they have a well-groomed visual aspect and a slim body image. Media such as television, movies, and magazines are considered to be among the most influential promoters of the thin standard, given their popularity and handiness to the people (Anne Marlowe1998).As womens magazines have a massive influence on womens self-concept many women quickly become dissatisfied with their body even at an early age. Ironi cally the ideal of female beauty which is being promoted is impossible for the amount woman to achieve. This level of unhappiness can lead to an eating disorder in an attempt to aline with the publicised norms. amongst 1970 and 1990, there was an overall increased emphasis on weight loss and body shape in the content of a popular womens magazine (Anne Marlowe 1998).This concludes that the roles of womens magazines changed from traditional and entertaining values into word-painting women as consumers and instanter targeting womens own anxieties to make money. Interestingly there is enjoin to suggest that eating disorders, especially anorexia and bulimia, are most prominently seen in ovalbumin women (Molloy 1998). One could claim a high proportion of womens magazines are aimed at white females. They are not directly discriminative but you rarely see a black cover little girl with features on how to cope with African hairs-breadth types for example.This example outlines the impact these magazines have upon womens self-perception. Males are also less possible to suffer with an eating disorder. This can be directly linked with the fact that male magazines are primarily concerned with leisure, diversion and activities, in contrast as discussed womens magazines focus on beauty, dieting and domesticity. Women are under massive pressure to conform to these unrealistic pictures of beauty. That in turn results in many women in narcissistic density with oneself- with ones physical appearance (The image of femininity in womens magazines 1998).