Women's Magazines - I Just Can't Read Them

[NashVegas]

And I haven't tried for over 15 years.

It seems like every article I ever read in a magazine that was marketed to women (Cosmo, Redbook, LHJ, Playgirl) gave its subject the most shallow of treatments.

So, how's the water these days? Do they still think we're ditzes?

[Beaverhausen]

1. More Magazine is geared toward women over 40

They deal with a lot of different subjects.

[Chovexani]

2. I can't either

The few times I flip through them at the supermarket I can literally feel my brain cells dying...

[Pithlet]

3. I know

It seems like most women's magazines are either vapid crap, or are geared towards homemaking. Cosmo is nothing but a grown up version of YM and Girltalk.

[Kat45]

4. I've never read women's magazines, but I read Allure sometimes.

I read it to learn makeup tips. I don't wear a lot of makeup, but I'd like to wear more than I do and I don't know a whole lot about putting it on. :shrug:

[Longhorn]

5. I was a Redbook subscriber for years

but got tired of all the articles being geared toward pleasing my man in bed! :D

[politicat]

6. Ick. Hate them.

My grandmother and mother are absolute addicts though. They're always sending clippings (and more recently, scans of clippings, now that they have scanners) on the stupidest of subject matter.

I don't mind Ms. but their subscription staff could use some assistance. They've lost two of my 4 subscriptions over the last 4 years.

[XanaDUer]

7. "Jane" is good, slightly subversive

in a mainstream type way. I am afraid it may go out of business, though, just they just lowered the price.

Figures.

While crap like Marie Claire stays around.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. I don't know how long it's been since I read a women's magazine.

Probably back when I cancelled my subscription to Ms. in 1978, after they creatively edited my LTE before printing it. If anyone's interested I'll tell you the story.

[Longhorn]

9. I'm interested!

Do tell! :D

[XanaDUer]

11. I would like to hear that!

...

[JI7]

10. Allure Magazine is pretty good

it focuses on fashion and beauty mostly and avoids a lot of the "how to please your man" type stuff found in Cosmo and many others.

[Tracer]

12. Another NO to women's mags...

... and a BIG NO to the Lifetime channel ...

... and another BIG NO to women authors (at least, most of them).

[NashVegas]

13. Women Authors

Are you talking lit or bodice rippers?

I've had a guilty pleasure for Georgette Heyer stuff since I was a teen. Can't be helped.

[XanaDUer]

15. Did she write a book titled "Ribbons In Her Hair"?

...

[NashVegas]

16. Not Familiar With the Title

Heyer was kind of a poor woman's Jane Austen. Her stories were set in the same time period, but less cerebral. Pure fluff, but fun fluff.

[XanaDUer]

14. *Giggle*

Lifetime TV? You mean "Deathtime"? I gotta say, sometimes I just love their cheesy movies...

[lukasahero]

17. "Women authors"

I haven't read the kind of "women authors" I think you are refering to since high school (Danielle Steel kind of crap) but I have several women authors that I adore: Barbara Kingsolver, Linda Hogan, Amy Tan, Toni Morrison, Arundhati Roy, Cynthia Moss, Anna Quindlen...

And a big no on the "women's magazine" crap. I hope that if enough people don't buy into the "myth" by not buying the magazines then they'll stop promoting it.

[politicat]

18. Lots of writers who happen to be women on my shelves...

But no target marketing writers. I don't do romances in general, though I don't mind romantic (or Romantic) plotlines.

Looking at the Trade paper bookshelf (what, you don't arrange your books by size?) I see: Rita Mae Brown Susannah Clarke (just laying on top) Laurie R. King, Judith Tarr, Marion Meade, Donna Woolfolk Cross, Margaret Rosenthal, Robin McKinley, Joanne Harris, Erin Hart, Maeve Binchy....

However, the last romance purchased in this house was bought because the author's a friend and colleague, and promptly sent to my mother (who does read them) when I finished so I could tell L. that I'd read her book.

[BamaGirl]

19. "what, you don't arrange your books by size?"

Lol What!? You mean everyone doesn't do this!? Hell, mine are even sub-divided by subject/genre lol.

[BamaGirl]

20. Not worth the time or money imo

I do pick up a couple of fitness mags here and there, and science type mags. I can't stand Lifetime either. I call it the victimized women channel. :eyes: I will admit to the occassional romance novel though lol.

[scarlet_owl]

21. I can't read them either. I guess I'm not that kind of woman.

I rarely wear makeup, I don't give a good gosh darn about clothes or hairstyles, I HATE to cook, and I don't get my jollies from reading inspirational stories of personal triumph. The thing that really makes me laugh about womens' magazines are the covers. On one side it will say something like "Lose 10 pounds in 10 days" and on the other it will say "best cupcake recipes EVER!".

[Hello_Kitty]

22. Elle is OK

They have good book and movie reviews and offer some interesting articles about a range of political and social topics. But you still have to wade through tons of ads and silly beauty advice to get them. They do tend to treat their readers with a modicum of respect, though.

[shimmergal]

23. I like looking at them (some of them)

for recipes. "Supermarket" magazines seem to be the best here. Also their fashion articles (when they have them) carry clothes I might actually buy (style & pricewise.) I'm talking about Woman's Day and Family Circle here, NOT the tabloids.

Other women's magazines I may occasionally scan, but they've gone _way_ overboard on the celebrity angle. That's a real turnoff to me.

The sex or how/to/keep/a/man advice is just fluff, IMO.