The write-up by
SueZVudu covers many aspects of the topics covered by
women's magazines but neglects the following:
- "What guys really want in bed- our survey of 1000 guys tells all!"(The exact same 1000 guys that did the survey last time!)
- "How to get in shape for summer!" (On the cover when there's only two weeks until summer and therefore is no time to diet and exercise safely!)
- "How to stay in shape through winter!" (Just jumping on the diet bandwagon all year around!)
- "Cossies for every body shape!" (Kind of goes against the diet tips- why doesn't everyone suit the same pair of swimmers when we're obviously all supposed to be the same emaciated body type?!)
- "The five minute makeover!" (Because it's so possible to change your look entirely in 300 seconds!)
So if we hate the magazines so much why do we buy them month after month?
Do the thin, 'beautiful' women presented give us something to compare ourselves to, so we may complain bitterly when we come out second best against them? Do we stop eating food other than bread and water and exercise ourselves into the ground for a few days after we read the magazine only to go back to our lazy lives? Do we enjoy ripping our self-esteem to shreds after finishing the $5.50 soul-destroying read?
Do we compare ourselves to the models and secretly think that maybe, one day, we'll be discovered, and then we'll be the flavour of the month, on every magazine cover?(A girl can dream of getting paid thousands of dollars for getting her photo taken in beautiful locations, can't she?)
Or do we read the magazines so we can look at what we think we're "supposed" to be and compare ourselves favourably with the images? Don't we get a certain joy from thinking "Yeah, I could be that thin, beautiful and successful, but I couldn't be bothered. There's too much fun in eating, not going to the gym every day and having a life"?
We can feel all three ways at once, or none at all. Or in any combination changing by the second.
These are obviously oversimplified examples of women's reactions to magazines, but are indicative of the way some of us feel after finishing the monthly mags. Confused? We are too.
Now leave me alone. I have to go and read Cleo and find out what men really like in bed.