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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

I'm not going to read the Daily Mail anymore

46 replies

MarionCole · 31/05/2011 09:25

or fashion/gossip magazines. Not that I read the latter anyway, but I do go onto the Mail website under the premise of "understanding your enemy".

But following on from recent threads I've realised that the obsession with how women look is insidious and actually does affect how I feel about how I look.

So, every time I end up on the website I have to put £5 in my money box.

OP posts:
ssd · 31/05/2011 09:29

why did you read it in the first place Hmm

almost as bad as India Knight in the sunday times

Original poster
MarionCole · 31/05/2011 09:37

I really don't know why I read it. It makes me so angry every time I look at it.

OP posts:
LRDTheFeministDragon · 31/05/2011 10:06

Ooh, I'm in! I don't read the Mail unless someone links to it on here, but I've been going through a crappy cycle of buying Vogue etc., reading and thinking 'this is a load of shite', and forgetting by the next month.

I remember buying Vogue the first time when I was 17 or so and it seemed so incredibly glam, and fun, and I don't think there's anything wrong with being a feminist and interested in pretty dresses ... but you're quite right, it's time to stop.

Anyone else in? If you do buy glossies, it'll save a load of money too.

superv1xen · 31/05/2011 10:12

i don't blame you OP, i never read the Mail (just occasionally seethe at articles people link to on it on mn) but i have to admit i still sometimes buy fashion magazines and things like heat/grazia (even though i hate them), its literally the habit of a lifetime Blush but they definitely make me feel shit about myself :(

Original poster
MarionCole · 31/05/2011 10:13

When I was in my teens (in the 80s) I didn't follow fashion at all but looking back I was really stylish and individual. I'm quite proud of myself in retrospect! I used to wear 50s dresses with DMs, I didn't own a pair of jeans. I definitely wasn't trying to wear clothes that I thought boys would like. So that's what I'm going to aspire to again - wearing just what magazines tell you should wear, and trying to be thin all the time because you're told you should be, is so dull. IMHO!

OP posts:
TrillianAstra · 31/05/2011 10:14

Is there anything to read in Vogue or is it just all pictures and adverts?

LRDTheFeministDragon · 31/05/2011 10:22

Grin at Trillian.

Vogue has articles ... it used to have quite good ones imo, but it's been increasingly rubbish. It's also obviously decided that cosmetic surgery is absolutely A-Ok and something you can review like nail polish.

What do we reckon to Grazia? I know it runs sort of pop-feminist articles quite often in a sort of soft-focus, 'we women are strong and wonderful' way, but it also runs that regular piece where they slag women off for their clothes. (Ahem. Not that I'm super-aware of its contents of course ... hides magazines in thick volume of Vindication of the Rights of Women)

LRDTheFeministDragon · 31/05/2011 10:23

Marion, you sound like you had a fun time back then! Grin

DontCallMeBaby · 31/05/2011 10:27

Marion you need the Tea and Kittens blocker to protect you from Trillian's machinations.

Original poster
MarionCole · 31/05/2011 10:49

See, that blocker just demonstrates I'm not the only one! Genius.

OP posts:
blackcurrants · 31/05/2011 12:04

A few years ago I decided not to buy ANY glossies for exactly that reason - they made me hate myself AND want to buy new clothes "to make myself better" - and I thought "why am I subjecting myself to stuff that makes me hate me AND spend money?" - even the 99p ones made me feel shite.

I spent the money on a subscription to Bitch instead. S'dead good. My sub lapsed last year and I didn't renew (skint) but am going to, after I move this July. I want lots of feminist mags in the house, mainly cos DH reads them too on the bog and we end up having great chats about things.

steamedtreaclesponge · 31/05/2011 12:24

I don't read any women's magazines for precisely those reasons - they make me feel bad about myself. Also they make me want to buy things.

I wouldn't mind having a read of some feminist mags though, although I'm not sure where to find them... strangely enough there seems to be a bit of a shortage in Smiths...

Original poster
MarionCole · 31/05/2011 12:34

I haven't bought glossies for years because I find them such a waste of money. It's the Hate Mail on line that does for me because it's free.

If I want something to read, I will generally buy Country Living (because I like all the craft and gardening stuff) or New Statesman if I want something to make me think.

OP posts:
Continuum · 31/05/2011 13:51

I remember way back I used to read New Woman, I remember in depth articles about women in the world, like those that had the rings round their necks with the neck stretching, and how women were treated in Afghanistan before the Taliban did stuff to draw worthwhile notice to themselves, like blow up Buddhist statues, much more important than abusing women. Then there was a gap and I bought it again and it was all just shit, sex positions and make-up and clothing and no fucking decent articles. It still makes me angry.

Reminds me of the fact I moved to the US in 98, came back in 2002 and upon return everything was full of women and shoes, women talking about shoes, buying shoes, proud of shoes or gigglingly apologetic about number of shoes, and I wondered what the fuck had happened. No-one I knew before moving talked about shoes!!

I read The Economist, a film mag, a sci-fi mag, if I end up browsing in a newsagents I'll usually go for Private Eye or a science magazine.

noddyholder · 31/05/2011 13:53

I think the mail is the worst offender for this. As long as a woman is thin and looks after herself (their fave term) she could be an axe murderer for all they care. It is the ultimate accolade according to them to be able to lose baby weight super fast

DirtyMartini · 31/05/2011 13:56

Grazia is a brain-rotter. It has a lot of "Of course the Hollaback movement is interesting, but fundamentally I find that street harassment empowers me because it's flattering that they noticed my arse in my new Dior city shorts" - type articles.

DirtyMartini · 31/05/2011 14:00

I do sometimes still buy mags that I probably shouldn't, though (just in case my last post made me sound like I have total resistance Grin).

It has shifted over the years; I'm not interested in Vogue any more as it's so incredibly distanced from my own goals in life; I just think it's rather sad. And there was a time when I was a heat/Closer/Grazia guilty-pleasure reader as well. Now I pretty consistently eschew all of those, but occasionally get drawn to Red for some reason (middle age, probably).

But they're all a pretty lame, unsatisfying read tbh. Not much loss.

noddyholder · 31/05/2011 14:11

I read them too but tbh they don't make me feel bad I just love fashion!

LRDTheFeministDragon · 31/05/2011 15:01

I think I agree DM. A huge number of women I know seem to think it has a feminist slant which makes me feel uncharitable that I'm not keen, but ... Hmm

So is Bitch good? What else is there? I was looking for anything a bit better in Smiths at the train station the other day (not the best place I know!) - someone mentioned Ms being good, but can anyone tell me if that's a US or UK publication?

DirtyMartini · 31/05/2011 15:11

Ms is American. I don't think they have a UK version, but I could be wrong.

I have found that I'm reading a lot of good stuff online that I'd never have found on my own since I started using Twitter. I followed a bunch of feminist publications and bloggers, and they link some great stuff I'd never have known about. (Ms is one of them)

Not sure I will bother with a mag sub just now (skint) but I want to get some print media lying around the house at some stage, in case the dc stumble upon it and take an interest when old enough to care (and dp probably would too)

LRDTheFeministDragon · 31/05/2011 15:13

Thanks DM.

I do like having print material around the place - nice to have something that's not on a screen! But I'll have a browse around ...

Riveninside · 31/05/2011 15:15

Not really read any but it seems the obsession with clothes with names and botox etc has gone completely off the scale now. Faahion seems ro be about making women (and now men) feel bad about themselves to sell more produvts.

DirtyMartini · 31/05/2011 15:37

Riv, I didn't know you were about on here. That's great.

MooMooFarm · 31/05/2011 15:39

I know it's sad but I have been drawn into the whole Liz Jones RS thing - a friend brings You magazine into work so at least I don't buy it myself.

Who is he? Please someone tell me then I won't keep reading her rantings to try and work it out.

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