I found this article on Cosmopolitan Magazine and thought it was interesting. I have read Cosmo before, but have never realized just how big of an impact it has made. I have used tricks to make my hair grow longer, different make up methods, and analyzed different types of boys all from the very persuasive pages of this magazine.
In this article it talks about just how much of an impact this magazine has on its audience. Targeted at young women and teenagers, the pages are filled with tips to look sexy and different tips to help the relationship with your man. All girls want to feel sexy, so they take the tips and trades of this influential magazine and incorporate the way they tell you to dress and act into their everyday life. It may not be drastic, but there is still change occurring from this influence. Another main point Cosmo focuses on is attracting boys. Well for the normal girl, this is interesting, because of course they want to attract guys. Certain acts and flirting techniques are discussed and sometimes put into action by the readers to lure in that cute boy.
This magazine shows that not only media through the TV can have such a great impact on the young population, but what they read, see, and act upon can also influence them in big ways.
Check out this article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2063249/cosmopolitan_magazine_and_gender_stereotypes.html?cat=69
I think another interesting idea that goes along with this is the secondary magazine, Cosmo Girl. While not as sexually implicit as the original, it still begins to train these girls at a very young age to look at themselves based on their sexuality and appeal to men. This is a very far reaching impact, and in most cases, a female who reads Cosmo Girl starting at a young age, will inevitably move on to Cosmo as she progresses and matures with age. So this type of impact can start as early as the age of 13, if not earlier, and be carried on into the girl's young adult life.
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