Originally published on Cracked.com in 2010, this image is a parody cover of a typical women’s magazine such as Cosmopolitan. Using the familiar style and rhetoric of women’s magazine covers, this image makes a visual argument about the undermining effect that such publications have on women’s self-esteem and confidence.

discussion

What kind of impact do you think Cosmopolitan (and similar magazines) have on women’s self-confidence? Do they bolster confidence or detract from it? Some combination of both?

Why are women interested in reading these magazines? What strategies are the publishers using to keep their female readers engaged?

What about men’s magazines like Maxim, FHM, or Esquire? If you were to create a similar parody cover for men’s magazines, what would it contain?