Representations of Women in Women’s Magazines - By Viwe Ndzamela

"Women’s magazines form part of popular culture, which is not only concerned with the production process but also takes into consideration the needs of the readers. The aim of this research is to analyse the representations of women in selected women’s magazines. In particular, this research focuses on the social construction and cultural representation of women in terms of whether they are represented as glamorous sex objects or independent women who are in control of their sexuality."

This quote tells us how magazines construct a stereotype that women feel that they need to live up to.

"There are structures that are concerned with producing representations of women from primary school reading schemes to Hollywood films, from advertising to opera, from game shows to art galleries, women are depicted in ways that define what it means to be a woman in this society, what women are like (naturally), what they ought to be like, what they are capable of, what roles they play in society and how they differ from men."

How women are defined, showing women what they 'should' be.


 
"Because stereotypes have their basis in the material conditions and social practices of society, they
serve to naturalise the power relationships in society, they have a hegemonic function, hence women are often stereotyped as subservient to men (Lacey 1998:139). This implies that women may be represented in a way that suits the views of those who are involved in the production process as well as the owners in the manner that they think will be profitable for them." 

Tells us that women are often stereotyped to please other people in society.

"Tuchman states that according “…to media researchers, the media do not represent women who are viable role models, and therefore the media’s irrational role models when internalised, prevent and impede female accomplishments” (1979:11). As a result of this the media also encourage readers to define women in terms of the way men perceive them (as sex objects) or in the context of the family (as wives and mothers)."

The magazine picks who to make into a role model therefore picking who women should look up to as they are the perfect image.

“Women are generally not in positions of control and perhaps as a result are less likely than men to be prominently featured in media products”

Women are not in control, very traditional outlook.

"This seems to say that women have one thing in common, a concern about how they look, how they can please men and how they can look after their families in an even better way."

Women have been programed to all have the same interest.