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'Cosmopolitan' - soft porn?
Published on January 30, 2005 By dharmagrl In Misc

I've read Cosmo on and off since I was a teenager (for those of you who don't know, that's over 20 years).  I used to enjoy it; there were some good articles about (then) current events as well as beauty and fashion hints and ideas.

In the past few years though, Cosmopolitan seems to be all about sex.  From suggested sexual positions to naked men to reader's confessions about the best sex they ever had......it's verging on becoming nothing better than soft porn. 

Take this month's issue, for example.  The cover reads: 'Beyond karma sutra; advanced sex positions', 'His butt, what your guy's bum reveals about his personality', 'The power of pre-sex', 'Guess what he's really thinking in bed', '50 ways to have fun with your man' and 'There's a hottie under here'.  There's the token celebrity on the cover and an article about 'sexy new hair looks' ...but the rest is about carnal actions and boys.  There's even an article inside comparing condom's by brand and type (ribbed, flavored etc).

Perhaps standards have changed since I was in Cosmo's target audience ( according to demographics, I'm still on the high end of that), but I honestly didn't think that things have changed that much.  Is this really what young women are interested in?  Boys, boys, sexual techniques to use with boys, and more boys? 

I'm really disappointed with Cosmo.  If I wanted to see naked men and read about sex, I'd buy a copy of 'Playgirl'. 

I don't think I'm going to be buying Cosmo anymore.  Unless they drastically change their content, they just lost themselves a reader.

 

 


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Comments (Page 2)
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16
AndyBaker
on Jan 31, 2005
I'm really disappointed with Cosmo.


there's too much sex


But that's the kind of mag cosmo has become. (I read it too. It's great!) I don't think many people will complain that there's too much sex in cosmo soon, because it will be expected. We don't complain that there's too much sex in a soft porn mag. Instead, we wouldn't buy it. Cosmo is a soft porn mag. For every traditional cosmo reader they lose, they will gain another two, who will have been brought up with that stuff. Cosmopolitan means sophistication, and a sexy lady pulling a handsome bloke by teasing them in stockings in fantasy scenarios is sophistication in my book. Leave cosmo alone, it's fricken great!
17
powderfinger007
on Jan 31, 2005
this means that Dharma doesn't like sex, lol...
18
dharmagrl
on Jan 31, 2005

embellished hell..if they arent all written by the staff or freelancers, ill eat helen gurley brown

Eeeeew!  She's the one who said "you can never be too thin or too rich".....well, she's wrong.  SHE is too think...she looks like a skeleton in a wrinkled bag of skin.  Nasty.

And maybe an article on the girls of baywatch running marathons topless should go next to it next month..........sigh.

Topless running is painful for chicks, especially for those of us who have bigger boobs.  Just so you know.

 

OK -- I am going to be honest. I love Cosmo.

Good for you!  If you like it, then by all means read it...it's just not for me.

If you notice, it's been on the same article rotations about sex for about the last three years.

I did, and I have.

Magazines like Cosmo should be taking a more proactive stance and instead of touting sex as being fun and cool, dealing with these issues properly. I think it is absolutely irresponsible.

I do too.  Being a modern, independent woman seems to mean having the ability to pick up men and perform all kinds of sexual tricks as far as Cosmo's concerned.  That, to me, is almost shameful. 

 

I remember when Cosmo did a lot of articles on women in the work place. They would cover that issue from a variety of angles. It was pretty inteteresting.

That's the kind of stuff I remember too.  That was back when being an independant woman meant having a career, your own home, vehicle, posessions etc.  Now being 'independant' seems to mean having a lot of meaningless sex.

if you think you're not buying this magazine for the reasons i suggested, what are you hoping for when you pull it off checkout rack

I'm looking for articles about current events that affect women...there are tons of them, and Cosmo doesn't even touch them anymore.  I'm looking for articles about women's health, about fashion, about finance, politics, ...about a lot of stuff, but not exclusively about sex.

Cosmopolitan means sophistication, and a sexy lady pulling a handsome bloke by teasing them in stockings in fantasy scenarios is sophistication in my book.

Then your definition of sophistication and mine are very, very different.

 

this means that Dharma doesn't like sex, lol...

No, actually Dharma does like sex, in fact Dharma's love life is very healthy and very fulfiling....but as I said, if I wanted to read about sex I'd buy a book or a magazine specifically for that purpose.  I don't like having it shoved in my face under the guise of 'sophistication'.

19
Sugar High Elf
on Jan 31, 2005
I buy two magazines on a regular basis. One of those is Self and the other is Cosmo. I buy Self because it has some really good workout tips and inspirational stuff. I buy Cosmo because it is a little raunchy and dirty. However, my Self is now getting a little on the sexy side. "Love your naked self" and "Stress-free sex" can be taken as "improve your Self" and yet, these articles are what I look for in Cosmo, not my fitness mag. I wish they would stay seperated.
20
AndyBaker
on Jan 31, 2005
Then your definition of sophistication and mine are very, very different.


and that's what makes life so rich. I love you really, dharma.
21
dynamaso
on Jan 31, 2005
if I wanted to read about sex I'd buy a book or a magazine specifically for that purpose. I don't like having it shoved in my face under the guise of 'sophistication'.


Very well said, Dharma.

Practice, practice, practice


I agree with this as well. The more one practices, particular with a willing and able partner(s?), the better one gets at 'delivering the goods'

22
AndyBaker
on Feb 01, 2005
and that's what makes life so rich. I love you really, dharma.


hope you didn't think I was being sarcastic. It was said in a friendly way. I think you're an intriguing lass dharma.

The cosmo thing was light hearted.
23
Myrrander
on Feb 01, 2005
I have to say, if you read only serious stuff, you will go crazy. And in honor of this thread, I just purchased a one year subscription to Cosmopolitan in order to keep the universe in balance. I'm even having it delivered to "Mr. Michael Roberts."



Cheers.
24
BigDreamer415
on Feb 01, 2005
Going through the checkout line at Wal*Mart the other day, I saw that issue and read aloud, mockingly, the names of article on the front page; I read what you quoted. After being thouroughly disgusted by it all, I simply turned the magazine on the rack around and proceeded to checkout. I always do that. Turn those revolting magazines around. Then all you see is a CoverGirl ad for lipstick.

~Sarah
25
TaBoo Tenente
on Feb 01, 2005
not that i believe you for a second, myrrander, but such principle makes me warm in the belly.

cosmo just isnt current events reporting. it seems to me that theyve never sold it that way either, and i have a hard time understanding why people would expect it from a magazine that has the same sexlines, the same almost naked woman on the front every time, the same polls about whether billy blue eyes remembers to put the toilet seat down after prematurely arriving at his inevitably brief outcome and then tries to leave without a goodbye.

there's nothing wrong with this, really. if my girlfriend had a copy, i would skip to THAT poll immediately. i just wouldnt buy cosmo looking for stories of strong women breaking down barriers in society.
26
Myrrander
on Feb 01, 2005
not that i believe you for a second, myrrander, but such principle makes me warm in the belly.


Um, yeah, actually, I purchased a Cosmo subscription and one to "Bitch" magazine.
27
Gideon MacLeish
on Feb 01, 2005

I think that the 'Confessions' are slightly embellished (and I'm being conservative when I describe them as such), and as for the positions...well, in 11 years of a marriage that has a very healthy physical side to it, I can tell you that we have NEVER read a magazine article about sexual positions and thought to ourselves "ooh, we must try that!".


Confessions being embellished? Heck, I think they're the same aspiring writers that write to the Penthouse "Letters" forum...they just change a few details, an innie to an outtie, and there ya go!


As for the sexual positions, I have to say with some embarrassment that we DID go through an "experimental" stage, only to find most of the positions impractical and, uhh, possessing much  the same results. So, we pretty much put the kibosh on that....lol

28
Just Paula
on Feb 04, 2005
I use to read Cosmo around the time I was seventeen...a long time ago. No one told me that the people were not "real" and that the articles were nothing but fluff. Boy was I disappointed in my early twenties (also a long time ago) when I didn't lead an exciting "Cosmo" life. Hey maybe I should charge them for all that therapy.

I don't think Cosmo has changed that much, dharmagrl. I just believe you are getting older and wiser.

P.S. If any of you are really leading the "Cosmo" life, please let me know what city you are in...maybe it's the location.
29
dharmagrl
on Feb 05, 2005

and that's what makes life so rich. I love you really, dharma.


hope you didn't think I was being sarcastic. It was said in a friendly way. I think you're an intriguing lass dharma.

No, I didn't...and thank you!  You're pretty intriguing yourself.  I seem to know nothing about you, except that you blog here and I read your articles.

 

30
AndyBaker
on Feb 05, 2005
I read yours too Dharma, and find them very thought provoking. You're a hearty lass.

I love the Buddhist philosophy. I think it will further mankind's growth in leaps and bounds. We just need to stick together - science, religion, and common sense - and by the natural laws of growth, our degree of enlightenment will blossom, like "synergy". We live in exciting times, and I believe that underneath all present, worldly chaos lie gentle wisdom and pure love. God remains infinitely secure, and each of us can experience the same, (at least in measure, according to our own level of growth). We just need to trust life, and trust the purpose of our being here. And as for cosmo, well it's all good stuff, really.
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