1. Research Investigation Sample A
A Textual Analysis Contrasting Representations of Men and Women in Women’s Magazines -
More! and Cosmopolitan.
Women have become increasingly aware of what they want from life, in aspects such as career and
relationships. Magazines in particular, reaching a similar target audience of older teens-middle aged
women, are being prompted to become more independent and sexually aware of their needs. Men
are often presented as sexual objects in texts such as More! and Cosmopolitan magazine, living up to
the well known masculine stereotypes. I am going to deconstruct how the representations are
presented and whether men and women are portrayed in a realistic way. My analysis will be based
on the constructionist view, the male gaze and the audience reading which will provide me with
knowledge on ideologies of men and women within the magazine industry.
Masculinity is often said to be ‘in crisis’ as women are becoming increasingly assertive and
successful, apparently triumphing in all roles, men are said to be anxious and confused about what
their role is today.1More! magazine was first launched in 1988 by Bauer London Lifestyle2 and it has
become increasingly popular among women, even referred to as a magazine which ‘can make men
submit to your sexual will’ 3 However the magazine has come under criticisms for its tone and
representations of men after one blogger claimed to ‘finding particular distaste at the effect on
young girls’ self-esteem, and the tendency to group men into ‘identikit characters.’ 4 The first article I
came across in More! was ‘More! men of the week’ which is initially eye catching as the majority of
the text is up-close images of attractive well known male celebrities, aiming to immediately engage
the reader with attraction alone. The tagline ‘we’d speed date all of this lot’ is colloquial, implying
the mode of address is friendly and down to earth to appeal to a broader audience of teenagers. It
would also suggest how modern day women lead busy and chaotic lifestyles and only can offer men
a short amount of time to get to know one another, and also how women are no longer devoted to
the idea of being with just one man for the long term. This idea is supported by David Gauntlett who
suggests ‘like other 'girl power' texts, it (More!) emphasises that women should be able to get what
they want from men, when they want it; that men should not dictate the terms of a relationship.’5
The text is acknowledging the modern woman’s lifestyle and catering to her esteem needs so she is
1
Media, Gender and Identity (first edition 2002) – David Gauntlett
2
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/Brands/More/
3
http://www.theoryhead.com/gender/more.htm
4
http://reputationonline.co.uk/2010/06/23/more-magazine-left-red-faced-after-twitter-spat/
5
http://www.theoryhead.com/gender/more.htm

2. Research Investigation Sample A
able to feel in control. All of the men featured are voted by readers via social networking site,
Facebook which prompts the audience to interact with the text. The Facebook page6 allows the
editor of the magazine to ask the readers to vote who they want featured, which creates an initial
bond between the reader and text producer, this then develops into conversations between
females discussing ‘who is the fittest.’ It is as though men are competing for women’s affection
without even being aware of it, contradicting the stereotype that men are the confident,
competitive sex vying for female attention. Gauntlett suggest how ‘In the magazines for older
teenagers and young women, the encouragement of women to be sexual actors - even predators -
rather than sexual objects or victims, reflects a 'feminist' turning of the tables. Feminists never really
suggested that having sex with lots of men was a goal in itself, but the rejection of passive
femininity, and the freedom to openly desire others, is feminist progress.7 ‘Two of the men featured
are shirtless actors who appear butch, muscular and handsome reinforcing the typical male ideology
of The Big Shot, who is defined by his professional status. He is the "epitome of success, embodying
the characteristics and acquiring the possessions that society deems valuable.8" This stereotype
suggests that a real man must be economically powerful and socially successful.9 However as the
males featured are all famous, it is hard for the ‘everyday male’ to reach this wealthy, well groomed
potential in life and feel able to provide, which overall could have a subconscious effect on the
encoders that men must be powerful and successful in order to win a woman over. This is supported
by Nick Lacey’s theory that ‘there is an acknowledgement that women do have active desires and
can be confident enough to assert them.’10. Gender oppositions that men are dominant, hard and
strong11 are all reinforced through mediation, through using such up-close and intimate shots has
created a male ideology which is unattainable for most normal men to reach, which is the standard
women are forced to expect. The men appear psychologically and body confident with broad smiles
and cheeky grins reinforcing the unrealistic standards of male appearance a woman should aim for.
When asking members of the public how they felt men were represented, ‘sex obsessed’ and ‘image
obsessed’12 were used to describe the encoders vision of More! magazine. The article also contains
‘Fittest Facebook Face’ where a woman is able to send in an image of a friend on Facebook who is
attractive. This is allowing normal men to be represented however only for their appearance. The
6
www.facebook.com/moremag
7
David Gauntlett – Media, Gender and Identity (2002)
8
http://www.media-
awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/men_and_masculinity/masculinity_stereotypes.cfm
9
http://www.media-
awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/men_and_masculinity/masculinity_stereotypes.cfm
10
Image and Representation – Nick Lacey Second Edition (2009). Published by Palgrave Macmillan
11
Image and Representation – Nick Lacey Second Edition (2009). Published by Palgrave Macmillan
12
Survey

3. Research Investigation Sample A
column portrays men only to be good for one thing – to look at. Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory
that internalization of the gaze, changes women's perceptions of themselves and makes them think
of themselves as objects. Also men, as the dominant group have been the lookers (the subjects;
women the objects.)13 However I contradict this theory as the encoders aim is to empower women
and make them feel in control of men and their relationships. The article has been constructed to
fulfil women’s desires of sexual fantasy to be able to gaze from afar. It provides women with
escapism and a standard of what she expects from the man in her life which is supported by
Gauntlett of how Some people complain that the magazines reduce women to sex-obsessed
predators, and objectify men as 'eye candy' - but this is a blatant reversal of the traditional 'male
gaze', and remains powerful politically. Also, like all women's magazines (and to a lesser extent,
men's magazines) they may promote an ideal of attractiveness which readers may be unable or
unwilling to attain.14
Cosmopolitan has a long and varied history. The current content includes articles on relationships
and sex, health, careers, self-improvement, celebrities, as well as fashion and beauty. Published by
Hearst Magazines,15 The article in Cosmopolitan is an interview with a male celebrity singer. The title
is ‘The Man Manual’ which implies that men are hard to understand and women need to be guided
in order to discover what men feel and need from a relationship. The tag line ‘Usher isn’t talking to
himself – he is addressing us ladies’ supports stereotypical male ideologies of being dominant and in
control, it implies women are very submissive and again, need to be directed. The first question
asked is ‘You are a massive hit with the Cosmo girls, have you always been this popular?’ Instantly
the female interviewer is gaining insight into the ‘male world’ allowing only a female orientated
response from the male in which he replies ‘I knew how to identify with girls so it was a natural
progression to woo the ladies.’ The singer is also asked ‘what is sexy in a woman’ which prompts the
male to discuss a woman’s body sexually. The statement supports the egotistical and self assured,
negative male stereotype we are familiar with men who ‘feel they have the right to self-expression
and self-indulgence, to love and be loved’16, yet it is the encoder who has set up this representation.
The laid back and non serious tone to the magazine could suggest why they regularly feature the
article ‘Men OVERHEARD’ in which women can send in any funny remarks they have overheard a
man saying. The tagline – ‘Another day, another idiot’ suggests that men are dumb and have no
social awareness and women are allowed to laugh at their expense. This is a contrast as the celebrity
13
http://virtual.clemson.edu/caah/women/flc436/mulvey.html
14
David Gauntlett – Media, Gender and Identity an Introduction
15
www.cosmpolitan.co.uk
16
Barthel 1992:148 (Danielle Limpinnian – The Portrayal of Men and Women in TV Ads)

4. Research Investigation Sample A
males previously featured were shown to be something women should be in awe of, in this article
the everyday male is suggested to be something which we should mock. The images of men, which
frame the title, are all captured on the street and are not edited; each person appears to be doing a
smug, joking face which doesn’t look very self assured in comparison to the male celebrities.
Cosmopolitan, however appeals to broader audience of the older generation of women, as the tone
is formal yet friendly and the front cover is never busy and always exudes class. The tagline ‘FOR
FUN FEARLESS FEMALES’ is bold, striking alliteration which aims to emphasise its target audience of
independent, confident women. Cosmopolitan has varied audience groupings, one being ‘The
Succeeder’17 who will need to seek out the best as they feel it’s what they deserve, with
Cosmopolitan attaining the highest readership of 1,571,000 18 the brand promise is that ‘After
reading Cosmo, the reader will feel engaged & empowered to achieve anything she wants to in love,
relationships and work. The breadth and depth of content inspires ALL women to be the best they
can be.’19 The theme would aid the succeeder in their core values for control. ‘The Aspirers’20 who
seek status and are perceived to be superficial with an interest in fashion would seek Cosmopolitan
for its guidance and known repertoire as a self help text. As the magazine regularly features adverts
for high end fashion campaigns such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Givenchy this would provide the
aspirer with the need for attractive packaging as well as contents. This could suggest why
Cosmopolitan have a bigger interest in finding out what goes on in the mind of a man and it provides
readers with answers, it is more stimulating for the reader as opposed to having a man there to lust
after which could prompt why Cosmopolitan appeals to an older audience.
The dominant ideologies in society are that men are the strong, dominant and unemotional sex, and
that women are expected to base their lives around men, creating a family and domestic bliss. The
ideologies associated with males could be linked to Hegemony. By hegemony, Gramsci meant the
permeation throughout society of an entire system of values, attitudes, beliefs and morality that has
the effect of supporting the status quo in power relations. To the extent that this prevailing
consciousness is internalised by the population it becomes part of what is generally called 'common
sense' so that the philosophy, culture and morality of the ruling elite comes to appear as the natural
order of things21. Magazines such as More! and Cosmopolitan aim to empower women through their
dismissive male articles, reinforcing how women have their own sexual identity and don’t need to be
dependent on the opposite sex. However there is still a huge emphasis on relationships being a vital
17
www.4cs.yr.com/public_ftp/
18
http://www.natmagnewsletters.co.uk/nmdirect/cosmo_info.html
19
http://www.natmags.co.uk/index.php/v1/Cosmopolitan
20
www.4cs.yr.com/public_ftp/
21
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-gram.htm

5. Research Investigation Sample A
part of life, with the majority of articles based on men and how to ‘bag’ one which would suggest
that a woman may be able to enjoy her life and being single, yet will never be fully satisfied until she
is in a relationship, reinforcing the ‘female weakness’ and gender oppositions. This could be linked
the ideologies of women having a maternal instinct and feel their goal is to nurture and love,
through finding their ‘soul mate’, these ideologies being supported by Lacey who claims ‘The
traditional image of a ‘wife-mother-housewife’ is now being replaced by images of sexually assertive,
confident and ambitious women who express their “freedom” through consumption. 22
Total Overall Word Count including bibliography: 2,182
22
Image and Representation – Nick Lacey Second Edition (2009). Published by Palgrave Macmillan