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| Oh Comely- one of the good guys |
I'm a magazine fiend. I love the promise of their glossy covers. I love the smell.
But there are magazines that I don't and won't buy. Those icky, depressing, gleefully nasty mags that put pictures of women with their cellulite surrounded by a big red circle on their covers. The ones that are full of rubbish and nonsense and bitchiness. I'm not saying I've never bought them, because I have, but not for a long time, and now I have a little girl? Hopefully never again.
Those magazines celebrate nothing that is wonderful about womenkind. They glorify the vacuous, the insecure and the image-obsessed scrutinising that holds us all back.
I really couldn't give a flying fuck about whose armpits have sweated this week, or who has wrinkly knees. Too fat one week, too thin the next; god knows what this kind of crap is doing to today's young girls' self-perception and body image.
I think reading these magazines is like eating a bowl full of sugar with a desert spoon. It might give you an initial buzz but keep doing it and it can really mess you up on the inside.
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| Oh Comely issue seven- words Beth Davis, pattern Alyssa Nassner |
But there are some wonderful mags out there right now. I'm sure most of you British blogging ladies have read Oh Comely, an inspirational magazine that features people just like you and me, and for all the right reasons, not the wrong ones. This magazine does not stuck you dry of your self-esteem and life force, it reinforces them. It sparks off ideas and rouses your curiosity and encourages you to make plans for things you'd like to do and places you'd like to see.
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| Oh Comely issue eleven- Courtney Welch, co-founder of London Rollergirls words Carleen Peters, portrait Trent McMinn |
This, and a few others, are the magazines that I feel happy to have lying around my home whilst my girl is growing up. Maybe you think differently and see the tacky mags as being just a bit of harmless fun, but as I get older the less I want and need their influence in my life.
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| Oh Comely issue eleven- imaginary map by illustrator Marisa Seguin |
Any thoughts?
Totally and utterly agree. I buy Oh Comely and Lionheart (which is fantastic, get a copy if you haven't already). I love both because they celebrate life, embrace the simpler things and are so inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI used to buy Womens magazines, but I stopped because I felt I just couldn't relate to them anymore. My life was not the same as a career driven, designer brand, having botox woman. I also couldn't stand the fact that they kept putting women like Patsy Kensit on the cover! I wanted to read about more interesting and inspiring women. Not someone who has been married heaps of times and stars in naff tv shows. It's dull, it's unimaginative and I also feel it's lazy journalism.
I've found that since I stopped buying them I feel so much better about myself and my life. And now reading magazines like Oh Comely and Lionheart where the writing is beautiful and the interviewees are inspiring is an absolute joy. x
I've heard a lot about Lionheart but haven't bought a copy yet. I'll have to track one down. I also have a soft spot for the odd Psychologies mag, although just once in a while or it can all get a bit much to take in. X
DeleteI haven't bought mainstream magazines since I was a teenager, when I grew out of Just 17 and Smash Hits and realised that there wasn't really anything in the newsagent that had anything to do with my life and who I was. I have never bought Heat or any of those but I find if I see a copy in the hairdresser or wherever I can't help but read it, and then hate everything in it and feel sick - exactly like eating horrible junk food!
ReplyDeleteI do like to dip in to the odd craft magazine, but I'm liking the look of Oh Comely and Lionheart - think I will treat myself to a copy of each! x
You should treat yourself. I know what you mean about feeling sickly after reading those mags. And like you need a good shower and a walk on a windy beach!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I completely know what you mean. It's shocking to walk past the newstands and see the covers... especially those awful trashy ones, "My boyfriend ate my baby! Plastic surgery horror!" etc. etc. Just horrible! Yet, like you [or former you!!] I do enjoy a nice bit of light reading - some fashion pages, some articles about sex, relationships... I do quite like 'More' and 'Glamour' for that. It's still not exactly highbrow, but I like to think I will never, ever be tempted to buy something that sells itself based on deriding women's bodies and sharing stories from the worst kind of human being... Like your other commenter said, it leaves you feeling sick and guilty!!!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Lula magazine, too, although I don't know if it's still on the newsstands... The problem is, the classier, arty, cultural, beautiful magazines do tend to be a lot more expensive [£4.50-£5, as opposed to £1.00-2.00 for the dross] - wouldn't it be wonderful to create an affordable, decent women's magazine...? *Sigh-dream hat on!!* :D
Just found you via Jen and this post totally struck a chord with me. I too feel ill around those mags these days and to be honest I never really was comfortable with them. You are right there is so many great reads out there. Thanks for reminding me, nice to be here, Jxx
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