Women vs. Men in “Health” & “Fitness” Magazines

Yes, the quotation marks are meant to communicate sarcasm.

Many of today’s health and fitness magazines are displaying problematic views for both men and women and are playing a dangerous role in impacting the relationship between fitness and body image. More and more of these magazines are falsely correlating health and fitness to physical appearance, gender stereotypes, hegemonic masculinity/femininity, etc.

Approaching these magazines with a radical feminist perspective, we can identify how the difference in language and visual techniques contribute to the reinforcing of hegemonic objectifying beliefs.

Before we dive in further, I’d like to elaborate on what I mean by a “radical feminist perspective”. Many people have a false notion of what “radical feminism” really means. Well, I can surely tell you that it is NOT man hating or bra burning, which is probably the first thing to cross your mind when you read it the first time. Radical feminism assumes that the inequality and oppression of women is rooted in the patriarchal system implemented within our society that consistently constructs men and women differently (Buchanan 2018).

Let us inspect, then, how the difference between the men’s and women’s magazines play a large role in this systematic inequality by using a couple of examples.

Women’s Magazine

• The woman is displayed shirtless, wearing almost no clothing, and is smiling shyly at the camera
• “Your Sexiest Body”
• “The Haircut That Flatters Everyone”
• “50 Ways to Blast Fat & Feel Amazing”
• “Stay-Slim Snacks”

Men’s Magazine

• Is fully clothed, and is standing in a very firm posture, staring powerfully at the camera
• “Get Back In Shape”
• “Strength and Calm”
• “Make Good Sex Great”
• “Gain Muscle”

Women’s Magazine

• Bright colors like pink, blue, and yellow.
• Woman is standing in an endearing and delightful posture.
• “Lose Weight Now!”
• “Flat Tummy in 3 Moves — Quick Bikini Fix”
• “Look this great, today” (Pointing at the flat tummy)

Men’s Magazine

• Strong colors like black, grey, and red.
• Man is standing in a firm posture with a solid stare, holding two large dumbbells.
• “Iron Abs”
• “Build Huge Guns”
• “Blast a Big Chest”
• “Bed More Babes”
• “Eat Fat & Get Lean Fast”

As you can see, the focus on the women’s magazine is centered more on looking sexy and staying slim, strengthening the idea that women must fit the idealized thin body that is so common in the media. In may cases, the need to fit this body type may lead audience members to develop unhealthy exercise and eating behaviors such as exercise addiction or eating disorders, as a means of achieving that body. This also contributes to the dominant idea of femininity that contends for women to be considered feminine, they must be sexy and look a certain way.

“Success stories in women’s magazines almost exclusively highlighted people who lost weight…The focus on these types of measures sends a clear message about the primary meaning of success in fitness.” (Dworkin & Wachs 38)

The focus on the men’s magazine concentrates on physical strength, being in shape, gaining muscle, and engaging in sex. The emphasis on these ideas reinforces the hegemonic masculinity indicating that having a large muscular physique, engaging in sexual activity, being in good physical shape are factors in determining masculinity.

“A positive relationship has been reported to exist between drive for muscularity and masculine gender-role socialization for men. Specifically, male-typed traits and behaviors were associated with a need to be more muscular…” (Greentree & Lewis 107)

Exposure to these “health and fitness” magazines and other media outlets that claim to boast about the best techniques to get in shape are distorting people’s perceptions of what it means to be fit. Not only are they inaccurately representing what the benefits and outcomes of engaging in physical fitness are, but also supporting the currently existing dominant stereotypes of femininity and masculinity. The concept of fitness is perceived as a means of achieving an attractive body, different for men and women, rather than a way of living to stay healthy and strong.

Live Strong.

Eat Well.

Sleep Great.

Worry Less.

Be Happy.