opti-Ms.-tic

Ms. Magazine, although hard to find on the bookstore shelves, was a very refreshing magazine to read. If you judge a book by its cover, you most likely wouldn't pick up a copy of Ms. Magazine. It's cover was very plain as compared to traditional women's magazines. It had very little text, little color, and a picture of a confident Nancy Pelosi on its cover. The magazine's content, however, was very inspiring.

                                                                             Cover:

Content:  

One of the first things that you see when you open the magazine is an advertisement for a National Young Feminist Leadership Conference being held in Washington, DC to discuss the issues of women's reproductive rights, violence against women, and more. It was very refreshing to see an advertisement that inspires you to make a difference as opposed to an ad trying to sell you something.

The next thing that caught my eye was a half a page article dedicated to informing and getting women to speak out about the Gender Pricing Gap in similar products for men and women. In the article it shows the price difference between Men's Nivea body wash costing $5.49 and Women's Nivea body wash costing $6.99. Another comparison was of Speed Stick Deodorant for Men costing $1.50 per ounce, and Lady Speed Stick Deodorant costing $2.16 per ounce. This shocked me! I never realized the price differences for men and women. If anything, shouldn't women's products be made available for a cheaper price since we are getting paid less to do the same jobs as men? The good thing about this article is their encouragement for women to speak out about this difference and Ms. Magazine is launching a campaign to end the gender pricing gap.

The next thing I came across gave me a laugh! It was a comic that depicts the gender gap in salary's between men and women in the same job positions. Check it out!

On a postivie note, the next thing that I came across was a list of achievements by women who are slowly making a difference for the equality and status of women in politics, media, and education. One of them being Tina Fey winning the prestigous Kennedy Center Mark Twain Award for American Humor. She is the third woman in history to win this award. You go Tina! Throughout the rest of the magazine were articles about inspiring women such as Nancy Pelosi and all her efforts in politics to make a difference for women.

 Another topic discussed in this magazine is the issue of female infanticide and sex selective abortion occuring throughout the world, especially in India. Female infants are being drowned in the river or are being aborted when their sex is identified. This article informs the reader about what is really going on, but it also talks about positive efforts being made in India to encourage families to consider adoption rather than abortion. They are also offering cash incentives to families to raise girls. Below is a picture from the article, of a billboard in New Delhi, encouranging the birth of girls.

Another cool thing about this magazine is the list of book reviews and DVD's that are inspring to women that can be considered the next time you are at a book store or movie rental store. I seen a few that sounded interesting that I wouldn't mind watching the next time I get a chance to rent a DVD.

Toward the end of the magazine was a page containing 3 ads from other women's magazines that were found offensive and because of women speaking out, have been since removed from certain media. Ms. Magazine encourages its readers to send these offensive ads into them and they will take action. See below!

                                                                        Advertising:

I think the most refreshing thing about Ms. Magazine was the lack of advertisements. It was nice to pick up a piece of literature and to read it without it being suggested to lose weight, eat healthy, buy clothes and makeup, and be sexy at all times! Ms. Magazine had few advertisements and the ones they did have were inspiring and encouraging. I loved how Ms. Magazines encouraged its viewers to recognize such inequalities such as gender pricing gaps, and offensive advertising, and to question them. Not one of their pictures of women contained sexual objectification, faceism, or showed women as vulnerable. Instead the pictures that were present in the magazine showed females as positive role models, confident, and powerful.

I loved reading Ms. Magazine and I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a magazine that empowers them, and makes them feel proud to be a woman! Thanks for reading!

* Ms. Moani *