I'd say it's neither pro- nor anti-feminist. It's a business decision based purely on what the company predicts will generate the most profit.
Taken in isolation, it might look like a feminist issue, but given the way hard copy print media sales have been declining for a decade, I'm confident this is more about the cost of stocking the magazine vs. magazine sale figures than any ethical concern.
Of cours3, Walmart may well try to spin this as an exercise in feminist ethics, because why pass up a chance for publicity for doing something you were going to do anyway?
It just said that the magazine would be removed from view at checkouts; not that the magazine would be unavailable. Seems like the cost to stock the magazine would be greater with the additional hassle of stocking it out of view, so that a checker has to retrieve it, rather than the customer picking it up themselves.
It just said that the magazine would be removed from view at checkouts; not that the magazine would be unavailable. Seems like the cost to stock the magazine would be greater with the additional hassle of stocking it out of view, so that a checker has to retrieve it, rather than the customer picking it up themselves.
I stand by my comment. Here in Australia, for example, we used to have magazines of all sorts prominently displayed at every checkout. Now they're all removed to their own little section of the store, with the range much reduced.
I don't think you need to be a feminist to recognize that Cosmopolitan hyper-sexualizes women. All you need be is observant and reasonably intelligent.
I don't know. I have a hard time understanding why anyone (male or female) would read magazines like that, so it's tough for me to see it in terms of feminist or not.
Regarding Walmart's decision, I think it's most likely what @Armoured mentioned about trying to make a decision they were going to make for economic reasons appear to be in support of women.
I won't complain. I think the magazine is crap. It's not the sexualization I find disgusting, nor male entitlement, per se. It is the regular promotion of emotional paranoia and advertisements for products to enhance confidence that led me to this conclusion. I think it's a mind ****.
I formed this opinion in the early '80's and have only glanced at copies occasionally since then...but from what I've seen, I don't think things have changed much with it. (A friend of mine in the dorm had a subscription, and I read it for 3 months in a row. I found it psychologically unnerving/stress producing to read, so I've never bought it.)
In the midst of the articles with sexual subject matter, most of the magazine is made up of articles that upset you and ads for things to make you feel "better". Here's the gist of the articles I found.
Are you feeling happy with your life, how things are going, with yourself? Well think again, you fool!
Is he cheating on you? Probably. You should analyze his every move.
Is your relationship in the toilet and you're the only one that doesn't know it? Probably. Dig deep and find something wrong.
What you are missing that he's thinking about you... and everyone else thinks, too? Dummy.
10 Things your Co-Workers are laughing at you about, behind your back. If you think that's why they stop talking when you walk into the lunch room, it's because they are.
Here's what to do sexually to get him to want you do it to him (Ha, what a joke) and here's what to worry that he's thinking while you're doing it.
What your wardrobe, eye liner, purse, shoes, hairstyle, facial expression is screaming about you. Loser!
Fight back against those feelings of inadequacy and inferiority (that we are promoting). Don't worry, we have the advice to fix you. You need a makeover. You need the new fragrance. Your wardrobe sucks. Just buy the stuff you see in the magazine, so you'll become super sassy and confident!
I don't know. I have a hard time understanding why anyone (male or female) would read magazines like that, so it's tough for me to see it in terms of feminist or not.
Regarding Walmart's decision, I think it's most likely what @Armoured mentioned about trying to make a decision they were going to make for economic reasons appear to be in support of women.
I won't complain. I think the magazine is crap. It's not the sexualization I find disgusting, nor male entitlement, per se. It is the regular promotion of emotional paranoia and advertisements for products to enhance confidence that led me to this conclusion. I think it's a mind ****.
I formed this opinion in the early '80's and have only glanced at copies occasionally since then...but from what I've seen, I don't think things have changed much with it. (A friend of mine in the dorm had a subscription, and I read it for 3 months in a row. I found it psychologically unnerving/stress producing to read, so I've never bought it.)
In the midst of the articles with sexual subject matter, most of the magazine is made up of articles that upset you and ads for things to make you feel "better". Here's the gist of the articles I found.
Are you feeling happy with your life, how things are going, with yourself? Well think again, you fool!
Is he cheating on you? Probably. You should analyze his every move.
Is your relationship in the toilet and you're the only one that doesn't know it? Probably. Dig deep and find something wrong.
What you are missing that he's thinking about you... and everyone else thinks, too? Dummy.
10 Things your Co-Workers are laughing at you about, behind your back. If you think that's why they stop talking when you walk into the lunch room, it's because they are.
Here's what to do sexually to get him to want you do it to him (Ha, what a joke) and here's what to worry that he's thinking while you're doing it.
What your wardrobe, eye liner, purse, shoes, hairstyle, facial expression is screaming about you. Loser!
Fight back against those feelings of inadequacy and inferiority (that we are promoting). Don't worry, we have the advice to fix you. You need a makeover. You need the new fragrance. Your wardrobe sucks. Just buy the stuff you see in the magazine, so you'll become super sassy and confident!
Yes we get those. I think they have become less common in the last 20 years. I think that advertisers just have found more subtle and effective means. Perhaps it is less shocking now and so less effective? Perhaps people have complained? For whatever reason its not as common.
I'm guessing the evangelicals have been putting up a stink. Walmart is their favorite store and to see that blasphemous stuff on a daily basis has set them off.
