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Countless studies have been conducted by large number of feminist researchers and feminist media scholars to analysis feminism, ideology, women’s magazines and the relationship among them. There are endless discuss and debates about ‘what means to be woman’ since the society’s conception of woman, the historical perspective, and women’s self-perception about themselves are far-reaching within the river of history. Klevin (1971) points out that feminine characteristic are almost entirely related to its culture, society and history. Women have always been pushed to the ‘second place in the world when men have occupied the first place in most cultures. However, this position, Millum (1975) also argues, has nothing to do with women’s ‘natural feminine characters’. The main reason is relates to the irresistible social tradition, environmental forces and sometimes educational background as well. Without raising huge oppositional disputes and hotly debates, some of the contemporary feminist concepts have successfully become part of the common sense among the public. Meanwhile, according to Alice (1995), she defined post-Feminist in her book as ‘an escape from the imposition of being superwoman’ for the purpose of fulfilling a feminist image of success. However, In Ferguson’s (1983) book Forever feminine, she maintains that women’s magazines are still tend to provide their female readers with examples and images of ‘superwomen’ or ‘perfect women’ for them to envy and emulate. The ideology of ‘an endless procession of successful, beautiful and inspirational role models’’ within women’s magazines has never been changed.
Moreover, as Gough-Yates (2003) proposes in her book that femininity and women’s culture are closely associated with women’s magazines specifically, this shift from Feminism to post-Feminism also indicates that changes have been taking place in the feminism media industry as well. Move on to Brooks (1997), she offers an useful summary of the distinctions between configurations of ‘post-Feminism’ in media context and ‘post feminism’ in academic concepts. According to her studies, post feminism in academic concepts can be seen as an argument which mainly challenged the second-wave feminism. It comes up with the idea of changing common experience and the unifying concept of ‘women’ which are based on feminist alliance. However, these profound shifts of ‘femininity’ and ‘post-femininity’ in academic conception did not accommodate with the media context based magazine industry very smoothly. She (1997) also demonstrated that most of the changes in women’s magazines industry are basically associated with the changing discourse around the nature of contemporary femininity. In Braithwaite’s (1995) words, women’s magazines can be described as a “phenomenon”. Feminism ideology, as a crucial part within women’s magazine is also actively under discussion in this field. As Hermes (1995) suggests, woman’s magazines’ emphasis on two subjects: ‘woman’ and ‘femininity’. Feminism has been used to against ‘man defines himself in societies of all stripes’ while ideology should be understood as a series of beliefs about and ‘representations of social reality which serve the interests of a ruling class’ in a media based context (Ballaster et al, 1991). According to Anna (2009), early feminist accounts of women’s magazines were mainly focused on these ‘untruthful’, ‘unreal’ and ‘distorted’ images of women that were presented in women’s magazines. Hence, they appealed for more positive images and ‘real’ feminism identities of women. Additionally, Tuchman (1978) also suggests that according to earlier women’s magazines, the image of an ideal woman is ‘passive’ and ‘dependent’. She describes that ‘her (the ideal woman) fate and happiness rest with a man, not with participation in the labor force’. It was until the late 1970s, there comes a turning point of women’s magazines from simply present ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ images of women. It was also the time when post-Feminism was approaching.
Hermes (1995) has found out that the majority of women start to read women’s magazines after they have children through her interviews. Moreover, fashion and problem pages would be their favorite according to her data. With the purpose of conform the regulation of fashion, follow the mainstream femininity in a certain period of time and hence to ‘gain compliments from men, women are encourages to look glamorous and pretty in a ‘passive’ way. Ferguson (1983) observes that women’s magazines play an important role in shaping and constructing femininity characteristics as a social constitution. The magazines themselves are a part of the culture of society as a whole and more importantly they contribute to it at the same time. As women’s magazines offering their definition of ‘what it means to be a woman’ in a culture at any given historical time, however, the inescapable truth is that contemporary female readers often does not feel they match the images which projected by the magazines. For example, she might be over forty or fat whereas the magazines define femininity as ‘slim and young’. Same conclusion has been draw from many other gender and feminist researchers (Winship, 1980; Ferguson, 1983). It has been demonstrated that the female body which presented in the media has become increasingly thinner and the importance of slender body type as a beauty standard for women is especially prominent in mass media context. A more recent study also shows that these images of thin models which provied by the majorities of women’s magazines have a ‘negative impact’ on women's perception of their own bodies. Moreover, they also claim that the skinny models which exposure in advertisements actually discouraged sales of the products.
Braithwaite, B. (1995). Women’s Magazines: The First 300 Years. London: Peter Owen.
Barrell, J and Braithwaite, B. (1988). The Business of Women’s Magazines: The Agonies and Ecstasies. London: Associated Business Press.
Ferguson, M. (1983). Forever Feminine: Women’s Magazines and The Cult of Femininity. London: Heinemann.
Hermes, J. (1995). Reading Women’s Magazines. Cambridge: Polity.
Klein, V. (1971). The Feminine Character: History of an Ideology. USA: University of Illinios Press.
Millum, T. (1975). Images of Woman: Advertising in Women’s Magazine. London: Chatto and Windus.
Winship, J. (1987). Inside Women’s Magazines. London and New York: Pandora.
Countless studies have been conducted by large number of feminist researchers and feminist media scholars to analysis feminism, ideology, women’s magazines and the relationship among them. There are endless discuss and debates about ‘what means to be woman’ since the society’s conception of woman, the historical perspective, and women’s self-perception about themselves are far-reaching within the river of history. Klevin (1971) points out that feminine characteristic are almost entirely related to its culture, society and history. Women have always been pushed to the ‘second place in the world when men have occupied the first place in most cultures. However, this position, Millum (1975) also argues, has nothing to do with women’s ‘natural feminine characters’. The main reason is relates to the irresistible social tradition, environmental forces and sometimes educational background as well. Without raising huge oppositional disputes and hotly debates, some of the contemporary feminist concepts have successfully become part of the common sense among the public. Meanwhile, according to Alice (1995), she defined post-Feminist in her book as ‘an escape from the imposition of being superwoman’ for the purpose of fulfilling a feminist image of success. However, In Ferguson’s (1983) book Forever feminine, she maintains that women’s magazines are still tend to provide their female readers with examples and images of ‘superwomen’ or ‘perfect women’ for them to envy and emulate. The ideology of ‘an endless procession of successful, beautiful and inspirational role models’’ within women’s magazines has never been changed.
Moreover, as Gough-Yates (2003) proposes in her book that femininity and women’s culture are closely associated with women’s magazines specifically, this shift from Feminism to post-Feminism also indicates that changes have been taking place in the feminism media industry as well. Move on to Brooks (1997), she offers an useful summary of the distinctions between configurations of ‘post-Feminism’ in media context and ‘post feminism’ in academic concepts. According to her studies, post feminism in academic concepts can be seen as an argument which mainly challenged the second-wave feminism. It comes up with the idea of changing common experience and the unifying concept of ‘women’ which are based on feminist alliance. However, these profound shifts of ‘femininity’ and ‘post-femininity’ in academic conception did not accommodate with the media context based magazine industry very smoothly. She (1997) also demonstrated that most of the changes in women’s magazines industry are basically associated with the changing discourse around the nature of contemporary femininity. In Braithwaite’s (1995) words, women’s magazines can be described as a “phenomenon”. Feminism ideology, as a crucial part within women’s magazine is also actively under discussion in this field. As Hermes (1995) suggests, woman’s magazines’ emphasis on two subjects: ‘woman’ and ‘femininity’. Feminism has been used to against ‘man defines himself in societies of all stripes’ while ideology should be understood as a series of beliefs about and ‘representations of social reality which serve the interests of a ruling class’ in a media based context (Ballaster et al, 1991). According to Anna (2009), early feminist accounts of women’s magazines were mainly focused on these ‘untruthful’, ‘unreal’ and ‘distorted’ images of women that were presented in women’s magazines. Hence, they appealed for more positive images and ‘real’ feminism identities of women. Additionally, Tuchman (1978) also suggests that according to earlier women’s magazines, the image of an ideal woman is ‘passive’ and ‘dependent’. She describes that ‘her (the ideal woman) fate and happiness rest with a man, not with participation in the labor force’. It was until the late 1970s, there comes a turning point of women’s magazines from simply present ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ images of women. It was also the time when post-Feminism was approaching.
Hermes (1995) has found out that the majority of women start to read women’s magazines after they have children through her interviews. Moreover, fashion and problem pages would be their favorite according to her data. With the purpose of conform the regulation of fashion, follow the mainstream femininity in a certain period of time and hence to ‘gain compliments from men, women are encourages to look glamorous and pretty in a ‘passive’ way. Ferguson (1983) observes that women’s magazines play an important role in shaping and constructing femininity characteristics as a social constitution. The magazines themselves are a part of the culture of society as a whole and more importantly they contribute to it at the same time. As women’s magazines offering their definition of ‘what it means to be a woman’ in a culture at any given historical time, however, the inescapable truth is that contemporary female readers often does not feel they match the images which projected by the magazines. For example, she might be over forty or fat whereas the magazines define femininity as ‘slim and young’. Same conclusion has been draw from many other gender and feminist researchers (Winship, 1980; Ferguson, 1983). It has been demonstrated that the female body which presented in the media has become increasingly thinner and the importance of slender body type as a beauty standard for women is especially prominent in mass media context. A more recent study also shows that these images of thin models which provied by the majorities of women’s magazines have a ‘negative impact’ on women's perception of their own bodies. Moreover, they also claim that the skinny models which exposure in advertisements actually discouraged sales of the products.
Braithwaite, B. (1995). Women’s Magazines: The First 300 Years. London: Peter Owen.
Barrell, J and Braithwaite, B. (1988). The Business of Women’s Magazines: The Agonies and Ecstasies. London: Associated Business Press.
Ferguson, M. (1983). Forever Feminine: Women’s Magazines and The Cult of Femininity. London: Heinemann.
Hermes, J. (1995). Reading Women’s Magazines. Cambridge: Polity.
Klein, V. (1971). The Feminine Character: History of an Ideology. USA: University of Illinios Press.
Millum, T. (1975). Images of Woman: Advertising in Women’s Magazine. London: Chatto and Windus.
Winship, J. (1987). Inside Women’s Magazines. London and New York: Pandora.