I don't look like the people on magazine covers

In 2000 the United States Health and Human Services published a fact sheet on eating disorders, which contained this significant line, "Cultural and media influences such as TV, magazines, and movies reinforce the belief that women should be more concerned with their appearance than with their own ideas or achievements." I decided to test this claim by studying the covers of popular women's magazines to see how many contained story lines about appearance-related content.

1. Seventeen, Circulation: 2,013,357
Cover: The biggest story line is 615 Amazing Makeover Ideas, another teaser: Get a Cute Butt
-On the entire cover there are 5 story lines. Three of these are devoted to appearance.

2. Cosmopolitan, Circulation: 2,908,861
Cover: The main feature is The Blended Orgasm
-On the entire cover there are seven story lines, one of these is devoted to appearance. The two largest lines are about sex.

3. O The Oprah Magazine, Circulation: 2,336,426
Cover: The feature is titled How to Calm Down
-On the entire cover there are six storylines, three of these are about appearance, including The Perfect Coat and The New Diet Clinics.

4. Glamour, Circulation: 2,248,961
Cover: The feature is 101 Ways to Dress Your Body Better.
-On the entire cover there are six story lines, three of these are about appearance, including headlines such as The Secret Reasons Women Gain Weight and 39 Sexy Things to Do With Your Hair. Appearance-unrelated topics include The Good News About Breast Cancer.

5. CosmoGirl, Circulation: 1,403,409
Cover: The feature is Find Your Hottest Fall Look.
-On the entire cover there are eight story lines, four of these are about appearance. Appearance-unrelated headlines include Get Inside a Guy’s Mind + What They Think About Fake Boobs.

Conclusion: At least 45 percent of the story lines on these magazine covers are about appearance. Unless all the others are about one other subject, then it is true that women are portrayed in these magazines as caring more about their appearance than anything else.

I thought it would be interesting to compare these numbers with magazines that target male audiences.

GQ, Circulation: 750,000-800,000
Cover: The feature on this issue is Barack O’Bama Interview.
-On the entire cover there are six story lines, one of these is about appearance, which is Dress Like A Winner.

Esquire, Circulation 500,000-1,000,000
Cover: The feature is Benicio Del Toro.
-On the entire cover there are approximately five story lines, zero of these have to do with appearance. Headlines include Ideas…You Must Know Before Anyone Else.

Maxim, Circulation: 2,579,116
Cover: The Feature is Lindsay Lohan Stunning Photos That Will Bring You To Your Knees.
-On the entire cover there are seven story lines, two of these were about appearance, including Build 10lbs of Muscle Fast and Clothes that Seal the Deal.

Conclusion: Only 15 percent of the story lines on these male-targeted magazine covers are about appearance.

-Circulation statistics from Magazine.org