Woman's Identity is Being Controlled by Female Targeted Magazines

In this current day and age woman are constantly harassed by different forms of media showing them how they should look, think, act, dress, talk and relate to partners or friends. Print media such as magazines has a growing control over women’s identity. The magazines themselves are specifically targeted at woman however instead of encouraging a woman to be their own person they indirectly dictate how a woman should see herself.

Print media is an element of mass media that delivers messages to a vast variety of consumers. Magazines have developed into a fast and effective way to reach consumers; their visual quality acts as an appealing aspect for all audiences. Without consumers being aware magazine companies have the ability and power to hand select their consumers. A recent study in the US showed that print media in particular magazines have become superior to broadcast media or other technical forms of communication, the study stated that an average reader picks up a monthly magazine four times a week.(D.E. Visuals, 2004 ) Since its existence, print media has been able to successfully reflect and mirror societies. Magazines are a huge element in advertising, both the advertisements and content found in magazines are able to reflect the current happenings in communities, this reflection is used to gain the consumers trust and attention. The images and ideas presented through magazines influence both men and women and their ideas surrounding gender identity. (Hyde, 2000)

Women’s magazines offer a range of contradictory suggestions about modern

female identities. The women’s market for magazines has been long established and includes a large number of successful titles. The market can be split into two categories; monthly and weekly, monthly magazines consist of glossy lifestyle aspects whereas weekly magazines tend to be filled with celebrities and entertainment. Women’s magazines have seen a dramatic change in content, for women a magazine used to be associated with relaxation, nowadays while still being used as a form of relaxation magazines have become a much more sociable element of a women’s life. Some of the content viewed in women’s magazines have become predictable; the fashion and beauty sections contain very few surprises for the reader in relation to gender identity, these sections have started to represent the idea that women of all ages must always do their best in order to uphold the often viewed ‘glamorous’ look at a ridiculous expense. (Gauntlett, 2008 )The Social Comparison Theory originated in 1954 by Festinger. He stated that it is human nature to compare and evaluate our own opinions and abilities. He researched the two motives for this comparison, self-evaluation and self improvement, defining the theory as “the process of thinking about information about one or more other person in relation to the self.” (Paluso, 1999) In regards to magazines and women, this theory is not only shown but also proved by the reactions of women and the influence that magazine content has on them. A number of stereotypes are seen through the images presented to the magazine readers surrounding their self-images. There have been a number of debates surrounding the impact that the images of ‘skinny fashion models’ have on a women’s body image. Liz Jones has previously been the editor of the Marie Claire magazine, while working she attempted to encourage a more diverse range of models in regards to both size and race, her opinions and advice were explicitly rejected by the industry, before leaving the company she stated that “I had simply had enough of working in an industry that pretends to support women while it bombards with impossible images of perfection day after day.” (Paluso, 1999)

A report done by the British Medical Association surrounding the increasing numbers of patients suffering from anorexia and bulimia states that the images presented in print media, of fashion models are both unachievable and biologically inappropriate, providing women with unhelpful role models. For those who are physiologically predisposed to emotions surrounding their body and their self-image are, due to these images put in harm. (National Center for Eating Disorders , 2011)

Magazines are seen to be focusing on the day-to-day activities and preoccupations of women, in doing so this gives women an insight into the way in which they can develop their own lifestyles surrounding the current trends of society. The idea of self-surveillance presented not only through advertising but also throughout the magazines content provides women with an encouragement surrounding the discipline of their bodies.It has been proved that the impact of the messages in magazines, which contain ideas and images, aimed to shape a women’s opinion about their own identity and their own appearance can lead to extreme consequences. In 2007 BBC Radio One did an article on the impacts that magazine articles have on women surrounding their ideas of body image, this involved an online survey that focused on women ages 15-29, the survey was completed by 25,000 listeners. Over half of the female audience responded saying that they would consider plastic surgery, a third of those respondents that were UK size 12 said that they would consider themselves as being over weight or fat. About half of the female listeners said that they, in attempt to loose weight had skipped meals and more than 50% of the younger teenage girls thought that their body image stops them from having a boyfriend. (BBC, 2013) The results from this survey support the Social Comparison Theory showing that women do react to the messages presented through magazines, often in a negative way.

Media is undeniably an important part of our lives, it plays an important role and influence almost every aspect of our lives. At the end of last century an estimated half of all girls living in a developed country from the age of 7 upwards read a magazine each week. (Hyde, 2000) The content shown throughout women’s fashion magazines present women with the idea of self-awareness, it is this self-awareness that has led to the development of issues surrounding women’s opinions of themselves. The statistics and arguments surrounding the influence that these magazines have on women in general support the idea that a woman’s identity constantly controlled by female targeted magazines.

Bibliography

BBC. (2013). BBC RADIO ONE. Retrieved from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/Carter, C. &. (2004). Media and Gender (Vol. 16). Berkshire , England : Hecate Press.Cliffs . (2011). The Role and Influence of Mass Media. Cliffs .D.E. Visuals. (2004 ). Print Media . Florida, US, US.Gauntlett, D. (2008 ). Media Gender and Identity an Introduction . Abingdon : Taylor & Francis.Goodall, H. (2012). Media's influence on gender stereotypes . 39 (3), 160-163 .Hyde, P. (2000). The popular media and the social construction of women's bodies and social roles from the 1930s to the 1950s. Managing bodies-managing relationships: , 36 (2), 157 - 171 .Jill K. Conway, S. C. (1987). Daedalus (Vol. 166). Michigan: Ann Arbor .MCINTOSH, M. (1991). THE CONCEPT OF GENDER. 33 (6), 845 - 860.Monaghan, B. E. (2011 ). Television Through the Decades and the Ways It Changed Our World.National Center for Eating Disorders . (2011). Eating Disorders and The Media . Retrieved 2013 , from National Center for Eating Disorders : http://eating-disorders.org.uk/information/the-media-eatingdisorders/Paluso, H. N. (1999). Influence of print media advertisements on women. ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing.Womens Weekly . (2012, ). New Zealand Womens Weekly . Retrieved September 2013 , from New Zealand Womens Weekly : http://www.nzwomansweekly.co.nz/

Woman's Identity is Being Controlled by Female Targeted Magazines

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Woman’s Identity is being Controlled by Female Targeted Magazine

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