http://www.bristolfeministnetwork.com/index.html

This website supports my view on the negative feedback of the representation of women. It gave me more inspiration to put acrosss the idea within my blog that women are in a way 'victims' of representation.

Research on the clear gender bias of women:

• Objectification: This is based on women idealisation and added within the media for what they look like and not what they do.
• Absence: Women and girls are missing, they are not as numerously or as diversely represented as men. 
• Misrepresentation: Women are represented very narrowly, as wives, girlfriends, mums, preoccupied with dieting and shopping. 
• Exploitation: Women's bodies and female sexuality are used to sell products and sensationalise content.
• Distortion: Unrealistic representations of "beauty" are damaging body image and the way we value women in general.

Comparisons of magazines; Male and Female:

Although my research is based on women representation, i found that comparing a male based magazine helped me understand the difference between them.

FHM involves a seductive looking female showing off the 'best body parts' (Gabriella Climi) and therefore putting across the view that females are a 'sex object', nothing more nothing less. After researching vast amounts of magazines and what we class as 'relationship and sex' pages I found that there is a massive gap and difference between the sexes. Magazines are constantly interpreting the fact that males are in it for 'one thing' and women are there for commitment. However we are now in an era whereby things have changed dramatically and the role of a 'sex slave' is almost represented as normal and its acceptable behaviour.

Reviews on Teen Magazines

This is a perfect example of the comparison between magazines and what they have to provide. These magzines however tend to focus on just women and its found that once you find the magazine that suits you, females live off them as regards to latest gossip, fashion and dieting!! It seems that females are getting obssessed with reading them so much that its influencing the way they are. Clothes being a major issue as regards to feeling the 'need' to have the latest fashion.

 

http://www.reviewcentre.com/review331835.html Overall Cosmpolitan is having positive feedback from their customers as regards to what the magazine has to provide. This includes a vast majority of the same subjects from fashion, appearance, money, makeup and sex etc. It seems that although magazines in this era produce the same sort of things, females are still hooked to magazines in a way that they are a daily dose of information required to keep women 'up to date'. However I have noticed there are many complaints on the expense of magazines.

History of Cosmo

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAcosmopolitan.htm


This consists of information on what Cosmpolitan used to be about back in the day.

Criticism of Cosmo

http://nymag.com/news/features/17158/index2.html


This article was produced in the 1988 period and suggests that women should 'have no fear' towards contracting HIV.

Institutional Context:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2000/dec/18/mondaymediasection1?INTCMP=SRCH


This is a discussion of how cosmpolitian was perfoming in the period of 2000.

Newspaper Articles on women issues:

Newspapers tend to exaggurate issues that women have to overcome due to what i believe is the influence of magazines. This article shows cosmpopolitan covers from the 1970-80's which i intend to analyse.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/gallery/2007/nov/05/cosmopolitan?INTCMP=SRCH#/?picture=331152546&index=7

'Miss Representation'

This video is a great presentation and idea into a womans place in society due to media impact.

Appearance seems to be an issue whereby your personal body image wants to be changed due to the 'perfect' models within magazines. Breast implants at young ages are wanted just to attract the male species and live the 'perfect' life and aim to look like those within a magazine. 'Its all about the body and not the brains'. Media in general creates conciousness, its whats put out there, as regards to women representation that creates an insecurity in the first place.

People among magazines represent beautiful skin and in a way we apply makeup and attempt to have this flawless skin thats represented to be so good when in reality we should understand that throughout teen years your bound to have bad skin. Media can be an instrument of change within a person.

MS3 Research Investigation:

My research is based on the representation of females body image within magazines, i intend to study magazines in great detail as regards to the ways in which females are interpreted. Magazines such as cosmopolitan and heat are perfect examples and demographic profiles of what exactly I'm researching and both represent women in a positive and negative light.