In both last Tuesday and last Thursday's class, we went over
men and women's fitness magazines. I
found it very interesting with what we saw in many of these magazines as far as
how male and females are depicted. In
the men magazines many of the men depicted are extremely muscular and in the
process of working out with heavy weights and most of the time shirtless with a
fearsome look on their face. Something I
found very interesting is these are typically men magazines, for men, yet most,
if not all the photos in the magazine are of men, shirtless men at that. I am extremely curious at the difference of
these men magazines and maybe a magazine like men’s health. Men’s health features workout techniques,
eating tips, and new products for everything from technology to workout
formula, yet it thankfully lacks in the department of page after page, of
shirtless guys working out. What
interests me is how these magazines such as “Flex” are so popular with men?
It is very interesting how our society depicts males in these magazines
as so dominant and “better” than the reader, yet still this magazine is bought
by the masses. Similarly, the women
magazines depict equally interesting things.
Most women do not look like the “ideal” women that are depicted in the
women’s health magazine, yet still various women buy these magazines to see
societies few of the “ideal” female.
Often times whenever men are included in these magazines, the female is
shown as inferior to the muscular, fierce man, which is interesting because
these are women’s magazines so it asks the questions why would men be put in
the dominant role in these magazines as well?
Gene,
ReplyDeleteI believe the answer to this question all resolves around the image of men in the social environment. Men are viewed to be strong and the bread-winners in the world, and the wife is viewed to be more general the "stay at home mom type." I am not saying this is right or wrong, but this is the way the world has portrayed the roles for years.
In the world of marketing, the women are almost advertised as sexual figurs. This is what is so wrong with our society now a days! Young people look at this and think it is right and that not the role model teenagers need. We need to go back to having more wholesome advetisements and not so much sex drive advertisements.
Nathan Riley
1:00 Class
Gene,
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting to see the different roles men and women play in these magazines. Men are very muscular and show their dominance over other readers. While females are just tone, not muscular. Also they are not really showing their superiority over the readers. The reason I think males are shown in dominant roles is because I feel that is how the men want to feel. While females do not want to be shown as dominant because they make think it makes them less of a women.
Josiah Blevins
Gene,
ReplyDeleteI also find it strange that magazines that are basically saying "We are better than you" do sell. I personally don't like to be down on myself and I'm sure most guys and girls would agree with that. Why people insist on reading magazines that is giving off a "we are better than you" vibe. I suppose it has to do with the male competitiveness, that if we see someone better than us, we will try to improve ourselves to that level.
-Ryan Hetrick
Personally I don't believe these magazines sell that many copies. I highly doubt many people other than true meatheads, that cannot live without working out, subscribe to these types of magazines. With saying that, there are some individuals that do buy these magazines and are motivated to workout because of this look of dominance portrayed by the males. It's the same thing for certain females; after flipping through a magazine they are motivated to workout because of this display of the "ideal" woman.
ReplyDelete-Michael Discipio
I feel like the only reason that the Mens magazines like "Flex" are so popular with men is because it gives them a goal to reach. The goal wouldn't be to have the body like a body builder exactly, but instead it gives them workouts for them to reach that goal. As for men being in the female magazine, I also feel like that's how the world portrays men and females (especially if they were in a relationship). The girl is typically skinny and small, while the guy is muscular.
ReplyDelete-Turea Moore
I find it funny that a lot of guys don't want to be as huge as the guys depicted in the muscle magazines, most of us want muscle, but enough that it makes it look good, but not over the top. No one except the big body builders are buying that much protein and other supplements. It's a way to try and trick really skinny guys into getting big fast, but well informed readers and other athletes know that that stuff isn't good for you. For a good amount of people, both male and female, looking through these kinds of magazines gives them a sense of drive, or that they could one day become something like the people in the magazine.
ReplyDeleteNate Dudzik
I agree with everything you think about men's and women's magazines. When I look at magazines like the ones in class I laugh because it is so obvious that many of the people who are in the magazine are using supplements, and by the looks of how big some of them are it is obvious they took/take steroids. I do however agree with what Nate said though about how men and women are depicted through magazines and how it associates with the roles that men and women are assumed to have.
ReplyDelete-Joey D'Agostino
Hi Gene,
ReplyDeleteOne thing I noticed while looking and writing about the magazines we viewed in class was there was always the "Ideal" image for both males and females. Through the different types of magazines I noticed that the "Ideal" image changed depending on the magazine. For instance, a lean body that is toned, or a muscular body with tattoos. Depending on how the magazine chose to sell the "Ideal" image, that's how it was presented to us the viewers. I also found it interesting that protein and all different types of supplements were always being displayed in both magazines. They always portray the image that you can never be too toned or muscular.
-Brett Creamer
It is very interesting to me that these types of magazines do sell. I think it is because people generally look at these people and believe that the people in the magazines are actually better than them. And I think a lot of that has to do with how we view ourselves in society and what we look at as being the "ideal" person or look. Most people in society do not look like that but subconsciously want to be like them and that is a reason people buy these magazines, because maybe if I read about what they are doing and I do it, I will one day look like them and be like them.
ReplyDelete-Jacob Beverly
Hello Gene,
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting because the my country South Korea has same as Men's health magazines but it is Korean version. The model is Korean entertainers who has great body. Thus, so many KOrean people subscribe to this magazine. I also was subscribed to this magazine when I stay in my country. When I read this magazine, I tried to look like them because most of kroean womens want to meet like them guys so most of KOrean guys subsribe Men's health magazine.
-Junho Song-