A Guilty Pleasure

Reading some of the previous reviews of Cosmo, I notice that several people find it a trashy vehicle for low-bred, immature, silly girl-women who haven't outgrown Seventeen magazine. Well, I have one thing to say:

Hi, I'm one of those ditzy airheads who reads Cosmo.

Look, we all know that Cosmo-- with its sex-laden articles and "How to Snare Mr. Right" pieces-- isn't going to win points in the Feminist Movement any time soon. And yes, it can pander to the lowest common denominator at times-- there was a pretty stupid infamous article in it a few years ago which was literally a "paean to the penis." (Dumb, dumb, dumb, not clever or cute or all!) But part of Cosmo's appeal is that it's a guilty pleasure-- that's why women like me (and college-educated, I might add) like to read it. It's icky, but it's icky in the same way a chocolate eclair is icky to a dieter. I personally think Cosmo is great because it's an answer to Feminazism, a movement which, instead of liberating women like it was originally designed to do, has instead forced them to feel ashamed of their bodies and made them think that any sexual act they perform is a sign of either selling out or submitting to the evil Male Race. It is this aspect of the magazine that probably attracts a core of Cosmo's readers. At least, I know this is what attracts Cosmo for me.

Yes, Cosmo does spend some of its articles on typical fluff pieces and sex how-to's, but so what? That's part of the appeal of Cosmo-- it doesn't dance around certain issues, and once again, because of its slightly smutty quality, it allows some of us staunch Feminists to indulge in the part of ourselves that is sexual (a sexuality that Feminism has ironically tried to deny). As far as the accusation that Cosmopolitan is misogynist and deals in sexual stereotypes, I don't understand how that could be considering Cosmo has a regular feature called "Fun, Fabulous Female" dedicated to outstanding women in all areas of life, whether famous (like Mary J. Blige) or unknown. Add to this the gripping monthly personal stories about women who have overcome many obstacles (like surviving childhood molestation or a life-threatening illness) and you have an outstanding magazine that is anything but misogynistic or degrading towards women.

To all the Feminists out there who are cringing at my words, I'm sorry-- Cosmopolitan is a great magazine and I intend on continuing my subscription for many years to come.