Womens Magazines

[stephanie_craxford]

Up here in Canada I like to read two women's magazines, one is Chatelaine and the other is Woman a publication from England, and I've been seen thumbing through Cosmo on occasion.  Now I'm fully aware that many of these mags exploit women and often stereotype them, but then I'm open to a little exploitation if the right person is doing it.  After all if you are going to get done you might as well get done right, right

Apart from all that I find that they contain good articles on women's issues and health, fashion and of course the never ending how-to' on make-up and such.  Oh yes and tons of ads.

Who else here now reads women's mags.

Steph

[Chaunte]

I read Parenting when I go see my therapist.  While the title may not sound like a woman's magazine, the contents are geared towards working mothers.

Chaunte

[Kendall]

I subscribe to Seventeen, since I think I am a teenage girl mentally, lol. I think the fashion in it is more real and more day to day vs the older magazines. And I like the sections on finding cheap stuff, and alternatives. Vogue is too over the top for me.

[Dennis]

I don't think either Chatelaine or Cosmo exploits women, Steph. They're written and edited by women for different sorts of women. Cosmo is for the more 'sex positive' woman. Chatelaine actually has some articles that interest me. Sometimes. Generally women's mags bore me - I don't relate at all.

Now, Details for Men and Men's Health, somewhat; although they cater to a more gay male audience. Or at least metrosexual.

Usually if I buy a magazine, it's a computer gaming mag.

Dennis

[Jennifer72]

I don't read any women's mags currently, but I was looking for some good ones to pick up. I'll see if I can't find Chatalaine at the news stand down by me. I have read Cosmo in the past, and frankly it bores me to death. Seems so innane. Heh... Thanks Steph, this gives me a good place to start.

Jennifer

[Kimberly]

...
Usually if I buy a magazine, it's a computer gaming mag.
...

A guy after my own heart

[LostInTime]

I used to read Glamor when I was younger (like from 8 years old and on) and I did subscribe to Cosmo for a bit.  Oh and my subscription to BH&G.  Not necessarily a women's mag but I have never seen a guy pick one up.   

I also used to thumb through Newtype and even had a subscription to Newtype USA when that first started.  Today I am simply too busy and too broke to waste money on something like a magazine.

[Shannon]

I usually read Cosmo most of the time and been thinking of subscribing to it.  I like to keep up with the latest trends in womens fashion, makeup and beauty products.  Other times I read Seventeen, Glamour or Elle magazines. 

Shannon

[DawnL]

I generally read women's magazines that are more feminist in nature including Bitch, Ms, and Bust.  I'll thumb through most of the fashion mags if I don't have to pay for them.

Dawn

[Nero]

Writer's Digest and Playboy.

Nero

[Melissa]

...and Playboy.

Nero

LMAO!  I think the title was women's magazines, not magazines of women.

Melissa

[Nero]

LMAO!  I think the title was women's magazines, not magazines of women.

Melissa

Oh. My bad.

Nero

[stephanie_craxford]

Oh. My bad.

Nero

Jeeze... you guys... one track minds

Steph

[LynnER]

Honestly............ Any magazines that have Kiera Knightly either on the cover or an artical or pic of her somewhere inside........ im really sad I missed the last two due to lack of funds.. *Crys*

[Julie Marie]

I read women's magazines but have never subscribed to the idea that mags like Cosmo exploit women. I've felt that was just a mantra of women who are insecure with themselves.

I have learned a lot from women's magazines. Let's face it, when I was growing up my mother, my sisters and my friends did nothing to teach me how to become a woman so learning how women think, act, dress, think, etc has to come from a different source. Magazines have been very useful in understanding this and will hopefully help in becoming a woman.

[Melissa]

...teach me how to become a woman so learning how women think, act, dress, think, etc has to come from a different source. Magazines have been very useful in understanding this and will hopefully help in becoming a woman.

I'm sorry, but I think this is a misconception.  One does not "become" a woman and learn to think or act like other women, it should always be there.  I always "thought" and "acted" as a woman, because I always was one and this was one of the big reasons I needed to transition.  Transition helps my body become female to match who I really am, but magazines can only help with fashion (clothes, makeup, hairstyles, etc.).  They can't give you tips to think like (implying you feel you aren't one) a woman.

Melissa

[Kendall]

I wish there was a magazine that covered my tastes. I like women (be with, look at, physical attraction) which magazines like FHM, Maxim, Stuff covers well. Yet I like women's fashion/style, crafts, and writings. They dont make a magazine that covers both. Sure the women's fashion magazines do take pictures of some famous women, but it is from a woman-looking-at-a-woman in a non attraction sort of way. Very skinny boney types, not much curves to look at. And the men's mags have all that junk on gadgets, cars, stereos, consul games, music I dont like, and stories written from the wrong perspective and a bit hardcore for me. I always have to get a pile to look at of both, which gets quite heavy.

[Julie Marie]

I'm sorry, but I think this is a misconception.  One does not "become" a woman and learn to think or act like other women, it should always be there.  I always "thought" and "acted" as a woman, because I always was one and this was one of the big reasons I needed to transition.  Transition helps my body become female to match who I really am, but magazines can only help with fashion (clothes, makeup, hairstyles, etc.).  They can't give you tips to think like (implying you feel you aren't one) a woman.

Melissa

If you've spent half a century practicing to be a guy, living in a guy's body, being treated like a guy, having testosterone coursing through your body then you have a lot of unlearning to do and a lot of learning too.

I will never be a genetic woman. I will never know what it's like growing up a girl. I will never feel as natural in my body post op as genetic women do. I will never know what it's like to menstruate. I will never know what it's like to give birth and I will never know the emotions that women feel when they experience these things. And they will never know what it's like to be a transsexual. The physical part of being a female affects who you are. The hormonal fluctuations a woman experiences growing up affect her personality. Wanting to get pregnant affects her too. All these things help to create genetic women as we know them. How can I possibly experience that? I can't, but I can learn about it by talking with women and reading.

One of the things that kept me from transitioning was thinking I had to be a woman and that is physically impossible. I feel female inside and I'll be much happier living the life of a woman but I will never know what it's like to have lived my entire life as a female. There are subtle differences. That's why there are people who teach you things like mannerisms, speech inflections and intonations. And when you read articles by women that go deep into their  thoughts and feelings you can discern for yourself if there are differences between the way they think and the way you think. For me there is. That's just me but it certainly doesn't mean I shouldn't transition. From what you wrote it seems you are implying that if you don't think and act like a natural woman you shouldn't transition. I feel like a woman but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who would say I ever acted like a woman in my guy life. But that won't stop me from transitioning because I know, without any doubt, I will be immensely happier living as a woman.

You are entitled to your opinion as I am mine but that's all they are, opinions, at least to others. My opinion is a fact of my life. I don't feel anyone needs to subscribe to my way of thinking. It works fine for me and that's all that's important.

[Sandi]

The only woman's mag I read is the weekly Womans World.

Yes, I know every issue is full of worthless loose weight quick schemes, but I rarely ever read the articles. I buy them strictly for the awesome recipes and the easyest crossword puzzles ever. 


Sandi

[Melissa]

Hi Julie, I never said you had to be a genetic woman, I just said that a transexual is a woman inside, specifically a transsexual woman, which indicates our different histories.  I do agree that we can learn certain things about being a woman through other people.  Now what you may have misunderstood that I was saying (or maybe I misunderstood you) is that transition is about being yourself, not just about being a woman. I personally feel that I am a woman and so with my transition, that who I now am.  From what you said about being happier as a woman (I feel the same way), that's as good a reason as any to transition.  Good luck.

Melissa