I ask because Hussy Magazine was founded on the premise that “women’s” magazines treat women like idiots. Hussy online mag download link here
Given the premise I was expecting some heavy thinking, but the bulk of it is mostly just food, sex, fashion and relationships albeit less glam and more x-rated (re sex advice) than the stuff in the regular fashion and lifestyle magazines.
Does this magazine fill a necessary void for the modern woman?
I think pretty much any magazine tailored to any demographic that isn’t a hobbyist magazine (e.g. gaming magazines, car magazines, knitting magazines etc) or a “magazine” that’s more like an organization newsletter is bound to treat you like a moron. Not only does it cater to the lowest common denominator, it’s pretty much scientifically designed to trash your self esteem so you have to keep buying it so their tips can help you fix the thing they broke. Cosmo etc are probably the worst offenders, but I don’t think it’s limited to women-targeted magazines.
Who wants to bet that it doesn’t make 7 issues?
Definitely not just women’s mags, men’s mags also have articles with super-buffed and mensa smart guys in them, and on the opposite page there’s an ad for a $2,000 watch. They’re complete tripe and anything remotely useful is available with a few keystrokes.
it’s called making $$$$. a load of rubbish.
The only gendered magazine I read is Rookie, which is aimed at teenagers, but I seem to get a lot out of it and I’m 35. Not sure what that says about me or women’s magazines. I hate reading regulars ones, as they always make me feel bad about myself.
expand please.
I don’t know if I agree that women are under served. I am not in the target demographic of a lot of “women’s” magazines (I don’t have kids or a SO, I’m not overweight and trying to lose weight, I don’t want anyone’s beauty tips, I don’t like shopping, I don’t cook, I don’t follow celebrity life, etc.) but I can usually find something in your average magazine that doesn’t bore me to tears. When I want more serious stuff, I can read Time or Newsweek. I don’t need to see a woman on the cover to feel comfortable reading something.
But the only magazine-reading I do happens when I find myself in someone’s waiting room. But that’s not because magazines don’t speak to my real needs and concerns. It’s just that I don’t look for magazines to speak to my real needs and concerns.
On what. On why I read this particular mag?
Well, it has had articles on, among other many things, Star Trek, Kate Bush, Frida Kahlo, and how to dye your hair purple - I’m interested in all of these things to a greater or lesser extent and am also happy to see stuff like this aimed at teens. It has playlists of new music that I as an oldie wouldn’t normally find. In is fashion section it has bigger models without it being a “bigger sizes special”, they just have different sizes in there. Most importantly, it doesn’t patronise its readership. For example, this article I wish had been around when I was a teen and I can still get something out of it today.
(No, I don’t work for them.)
Or on why regular women’s magazines make me feel bad?
I’m sure this has been done to death. But they make me feel fat, like I need to wear more/ the correct make up. Like I need to buy more stuff. The stuff I’m into (music wise, culture wise) rarely gets a mention - it’s just not deemed interesting and in any case, make up! Clothes! Feel guilty about eating chocolate and bond over how naughty we are! Boring Hollywood Hunks! And yes, this thing about how to get, keep, please “him”, as if all “hims” are the same person and I one job is to be as pleasing to these “hims” as I can. I just don’t want it.
Sure you do… I complete you! 
I used to kind of like Cosmo when I was like 19 even though it was the same thing OVER and OVER again in slightly different words (how many best sex tips ever can there be?). Then a few years ago they started sending it to me unsolicited so I tried to read it a little because I love free stuff, but I couldn’t get through it.
I don’t care if there are good magazines though. 10 years ago I had dialup, now I can just easily read anything that interests me on the Internet. We get National Geographic because my daughter loves it, but that’s it.
Thanks for the info on Rookie**. I’m familiar with Tavi Gevinson and know she has a magazine, but I’ve never looked into it too deeply.
Jane** was a magazine that didn’t talk down to women and had real life advice and stories and as I recall didn’t try to promote ridiculous, unaffordable fashion and beauty products. I loved that magazine as a teenager and was really bummed when it folded. Jane Pratt has her own website now though which is similar- xojane.com
My exposure to women’s lifestyle magazines is, like monstro’s, largely limited to waiting rooms, but it’s my impression that they largely ignore working class women, single mothers, and lesbians/bisexual women.
Back in the '90s my mother briefly subscribed to a magazine called Working Mother, but didn’t renew because she didn’t feel the content was relevant even though she was in fact a working mother. It’s my recollection that this publication’s content seemed targeted at married mothers who worked in the corporate world, which I suspect is actually a small percentage of working mothers.
Out magazine bills itself as a lifestyle magazine for gay men and lesbians, but I’d say most of the content is targeted at the menfolk. I’m not aware of any lifestyle magazine specifically targeted at gay/bi women.
It also seems to me like mainstream women’s magazines don’t have a lot of the “Hot pics of sexy celebs!” features seen both in men’s magazines and teen girl magazines. There are certainly some, and People has an annual “Sexiest Men” issue, but it seems to me like if a woman wants to see photos of handsome TV stars unbuttoning their shirts then she’d actually be best served by Out. Meanwhile, a teen girl who wants to drool over photos of Justin Bieber has a number of options available to her in the magazine section of the grocery store.
Of course, the big question isn’t “Are there women whose interests are not reflected by mainstream women’s magazines?” (this is an easy “Yes”) but “Could a magazine make money by targeting women whose interests are not reflected by mainstream women’s magazines?” That I couldn’t answer.
As stated by someone above my post - people vote with their dollars. There doesn’t seem to be a wide swath of customers who want just heavier, more intellectual content in pretty much any subject outside of science journals. It’s not just women’s magazines - I’m equally uninterested in sex tips from some inexplicably busty Ph.D named Tiffany, or Hugh Jackman’s workout regimen (likely “hire a $1000/hour personal trainer to work with me in my $100k gym”). But such content is sandwiched in with lengthy articles on branched-chain amino acids and optimum reps/set, so there’s something for everyone.
Reported the post by pdxevergreen as spam.
Not to mention Sassy.
I find MarieClaire to be very respectful in that it doesn’t insult one’s intelligence. Yes, they have the usual clothes/cosmetic stuff, but the amount of articles concerning both are tiny compared to everything else. They do a lot of women’s rights/global issues, some investgative reporting, and celebrity interviews that don’t make the celebrity sound vapid.
