Anyone read women's magazines?

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Yeah I think that's what got me was the constant advertising of cosmetics and pills and pics of models in couture clothes that aren't even on sale.

Cosmo's the worst. I could find a more interesting read of articles among the topless babes in a playboy book than ditzy cosmo.

No. All any of them seem to cover are the same few subjects: sex/relationships, cooking (and, conversely, dieting), fashion/makeup, home decorating, and 'celebrity' gossip. I used to think about how insulting it was that magazine editors seemed to think that this was all women wanted to read about, but then it occurred to me that, given the number of these titles on the shelves and the numbers of them that sell every week, it must actually be what interests most women.

Whereas if you look at some of the less-trashy men's magazines, there are the expected cars/sports/girls pages, but also quite a lot of articles on all kinds of different subjects.

My favorite magazine is Fortean Times.

For a little while at university my friends and I bought ... Cosmo! that was it! and used to read out the ridiculous parts when we needed a break from study. We enjoyed it because it was light and ludicrous and so obviously a pile of crap.

Now, the only magazine I buy semi-regularly is British Vogue, and that's because one of my special interests is sewing and clothing (although you would NEVER know it, I'm strictly a jeans-and-t-shirt sort of girl in real life). Sometimes I go off it... usually if the current fashion doesn't mesh well with my personal aesthetic.

I actually really enjoy the techie magazines when I do (rarely) buy them.... Why on earth don't I buy them more often?!?! Hmm.

I like girly magazines, I'm interesting in decorating my home and fashion, and my mom enjoys the cooking. I can't stand celeb gossip though, only celeb fashion

When I was teenager I used to read Dolly and Cosmo simply because everyone else did and I thought maybe I would discover to trick to being popular in them (never did).

Women's and gossip magazines I simply hate. They are such mindless drivel garbage.

No- I like computer and technology magazines as well as graphic design magazines like Computer Arts, Advanced Photoshop, Painter X, Layers, etc.

I will look at those girly ones if I am in the doctor's/dentist's waiting room or trying to find a new hair style at the salon. I certainly wouldn't buy them myself!

To me, it always feels like the articles are too short, like they were written with someone with ADHD who has an oversimplified view of the world.

They remind me of typical conversation. A collection of soundbites with no real desire to explore the subject that's been raised in any depth.

On a related topic - is anyone else sick of all the ads on these pages about getting a perfect body? Miracle diets! Most of us here know something about science, I'd assume. We know there isn't "one simple rule" to weight loss, apart from "eat fewer calories and exercise more" and who's going to pay to put that in an advert? And some berry isn't going to let you eat cakes and chips and still lose weight. I suppose this is how this site gets its money, but still - laughable!

I wouldn't touch one, with a 10ft pole.

Ya, that's right. They're made of big colourful pictures and some text, but not too much, because people could not understand. When I read this type of magazine, I know almost nothing more than from the thread. And they never give a solution. I'd never pay for stupid magazine.
But sometimes I read them (take from sb, left in train or when I'm waiting) - to know more about the world, people and their problems (and ok, to pretend normal ). I think nobody would tell me this all.
Men, friendships, clothes, family and do-I-look-too-fat? It would never come to my head, so thank you, magazines, for priceless help

I used to read Cosmo sometimes because it was so sociologically fascinating. The topics are oh-so-NT, but they seem to think their readers aren't the most socially skilled. Did you know their website even has a "body language decoder?" Not to mention all the "how do I know if he likes me?" articles. My favorite, though, were the articles saying "don't listen to what the magazines tell you...listen to us as we tell you how not to conform to our own advice!" One has to wonder whether the people writing for them don't have tongue firmly in cheek. (I really hope they do).

I'm a male, and this reminds me, a few days ago at a bookstore, I think I was reading this woman's magazine without knowing it at first. I just saw the cover to be interesting and I started reading. I noticed most of the ads were of women.

I used to read cosmo sometimes but not anymore really...the articles like "a bajillion sex facts" are just kind of funny sometimes. Sometimes it's nice to read something that requires no effort to think about (like cosmo). My favorite magazines now are things like Scientific American Mind or magazines about animals.

Same here. I will occasionally pick up Cosmo for the sex advice, though I couldn't give a crap about fashion or celebrity gossip. I used to read Seventeen as a young teenager, mostly when I wanted a boyfriend and so desperately tried to fit it. Also because my mother bought it for me, because so many other girls were reading it.

I think the so-called women's magazines are crap, aimed at lowest common denominator airhead women. In contrast, the men's magazines are different. They're aimed at lowest common denominator airhead men.

They both push the same BS that degrades women and objectifies and trivializes us, and furthermore trivializes the relationships between men and women. They just do it from two different sides. Think about it. Their covers are almost identical ... they both print busty young babes with wind-blown hair and showing miles of cleavage, both the men's and the women's magazines do that. Who the hell are they trying to appeal to?

Give me Psychology Today or National Geographic or Discover any day.