The Student Room Group

Why do women read women's magazines?

I see so many posts on here about women feeling pressuered to look like celebrities, be a certain size, have thigh gaps, have big boobs, have a big ass, etc. Ive never felt this pressure. I started looking at the difference, wondering why I hadn't, and the big conclusion I've come to is I don't read, and have never really read, women's magazines. I've never been interested in celebrities and have pretty much ignored the female media industry as well as reality TV. And as a result, I've never felt pressured to look a certain way. I've always liked my body, and been happy with how I looked. I didn't even realise thigh gaps, which I have, were a thing until recently. In fact I thought I had "funny legs' because of it.

But my point is, why do women buy into something so damaging? I find it weird when people say "I feel pressured to look a certain way', I mean, why not just not read it? Unless you're morbidly obese or anorexically skinny, you will be attractive to someone. Stop worrying.

I just don't get why people are so bothered by something which ends up leading them to hate themselves!

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If I had to guess, I would say the women they adversely affect don't buy them. The women who are similar to the ones the idolize may buy them and tell their friends about them. You don't usually see fat, depressed guys buying Men's Health, but enough in-shape guys buy it that it stays on the shelves and the fat depressed guys have to see the cover every time they walk into a newsagent. I assume it's a similar thing with women. You don't have to buy something to notice that it says IF YOU DON'T HAVE A THIGH GAP YOU SUCK AND WILL DIE ALONE on the cover.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by The Troll Toll
If I had to guess, I would say the women they adversely affect don't buy them. The women who are similar to the ones the idolize may buy them and tell their friends about them. You don't usually see fat, depressed guys buying Men's Health, but enough in-shape guys buy it that it stays on the shelves and the fat depressed guys have to see the cover every time they walk into a newsagent.


But I don't get why you'd feel the pressure then? Like I said I never have, and I don't buy them. The girls I see worrying about their appearance and if they're good enough and stuff seem to be the ones who read them. Unless you mean the pressure comes from just seeing them in the shops
Saw the question and the only answer that popped into my mind is: 'Well, if men read them then it would just be weird..'
Reply 4
I guess the reason women read magazines marketed towards them is because they have content that they find interesting, like fashion, food, culture that sort of thing. you can't escape "perfect bodies" anywhere, they're not just in magazines. some people are more prone to feeling bad after seeing a woman looking better than they think they look or slimmer than they are. I agree with you mostly, but i do think women should be able to read a magazine without seeing celebrities airbrushed all over it, and the same for men.
I sometimes read them and still know they're pretty ridiculous. They're simply not representative of real people.

I don't understand how the majority of women who blame them for low self-esteem etc actually do so.
Reply 6
It's because magazine know that both men and women are quite often simple creatures.

Men want to ogle over women's boobs and laugh at someone getting their testicle blown off

Women want to laugh at women who have fallen from grace whilst bitching about good looking women.

And before you disagree with me and neg me, just ask yourself why, if I'm wrong, both types of magazine are so successful...
I can only speak for myself and I suppose being blunt its because I have big body hang ups insecurities due to what people have said in the past but of course like you said when you read these magazines or whatever you make everythihng seem a billion times worse
Original post by The Troll Toll
You don't usually see fat, depressed guys buying Men's Health, but enough in-shape guys buy it that it stays on the shelves and the fat depressed guys have to see the cover every time they walk into a newsagent.
I'd say its the complete opposite. Its people who want to look in shape who read Men's Health, the kind of people who want shoulders like cannon balls in 4 weeks. Its the same with women's magazines guilt trip people by showing an image they wish there were then offer a quick fix, some celeb diet that help Kate lose her baby weigh in 48 hours, get 6 pack abs ready for summer. None of it works or they would only sell the one magazine to their customers. I think that is why people buy it, they see what they want and the magazine offers them a way to achieve it. You need to images on the cover to make people feel they need to change themselves, to show them something they don't have. The women who has lost her baby weight or the guy who hits the gym most nights to build his physique isn't going to buy a magazine which offers them something they already have, a dream they are already living.
Reply 9
To read about Kerry Katona's latest diet
They mostly just appeal to their base needs. Kind of like porn.
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
But I don't get why you'd feel the pressure then? Like I said I never have, and I don't buy them. The girls I see worrying about their appearance and if they're good enough and stuff seem to be the ones who read them. Unless you mean the pressure comes from just seeing them in the shops


Well I started buying Elle and Vogue at around 13 because I wanted to learn a bit about 'how to be pretty'. I was bullied pretty heavily for being obese. Started having disordered thoughts when I was twelve, when I I first made myself throw up. It was really only after three years that I realised staring at unobtainable figures had lowered my self-esteem even further.

I don't think womens magazines are solely responsible. It might have more to do with an emphasis on perfection in real life as well as on paper and online. Also how strong your sense of self is. I think if I'd had a secure sense of self at age 12 I probably would have stuck to reading novels.
Reply 12
Original post by Huskaris
It's because magazine know that both men and women are quite often simple creatures.

Men want to ogle over women's boobs and laugh at someone getting their testicle blown off



Dude that's sick, what man would possibly find that more funny than unbearably cringe worthy and nauseating?
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
But I don't get why you'd feel the pressure then? Like I said I never have, and I don't buy them. The girls I see worrying about their appearance and if they're good enough and stuff seem to be the ones who read them. Unless you mean the pressure comes from just seeing them in the shops


I doubt you've been the one overweight women sitting down at lunch with 5 skinny friends talking about their thigh gaps. I haven't either, so I'm only guessing, but that's my best shot.
Thanks OP I never knew what those magazines were, I always thought they were some kind of strange softcore porno.
Reply 15
Original post by Mockery
Dude that's sick, what man would possibly find that more funny than unbearably cringe worthy and nauseating?


Saw it in Peep show, something about a guy getting de *******ed was a talking point.
Reply 16
Read the title of your post please.
Reply 17
Definitely one of my guilty pleasures. I read them instead of watching trashy reality tv shows.
Original post by The Troll Toll
I doubt you've been the one overweight women sitting down at lunch with 5 skinny friends talking about their thigh gaps. I haven't either, so I'm only guessing, but that's my best shot.


No, but I've been that kid at school who was weird and different that no one would talk to and people would actively be horrible to. Yet I still recognise there's nothing wrong with ME, and that people have a ****ed up view and that's the problem.

We're both guessing though.
Reply 19
I like to post the horrible advice ones for giggles. Like those terrible things Cosmo publishes type pages. Seriously, some of this stuff is downright DANGEROUS.

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