Relationships: A social and personal approach to the history of women’s magazines

Relationships as social arrangements are innate, but more importantly, timeless. They have played a pertinent role in each era, culture and situation. As a result, it is only natural that as a hot topic for females, the notion of an intimate relationship between two people has been discussed in women’s magazines for decades as well.

The role of various articles, interviews, personal and often celebrity accounts, published opinion polls and advice columns (to name a few) is an interesting one in terms of how these print features have perpetuated the reality of the male-female relationship.  One of the major impacts that these publications have had on women is empowerment, who historically have been burdened by the social construct of male dominance. From here, women have made a transition in relationships from what was conceived as the submissive, husband-serving housewife to a more dominant position.

Messages began to emerge surrounding the ideas that a woman should enjoy her career and romance, should flirt and have affairs, should expect and accept gifts from men, and should marry a man whose income would support her in comfort and style.

Advice columns began to discuss whether a male’s infidelity was forgivable rather than something to be accepted. Further, sexual desire was something not only associate with men but depicted as a female attribute too. The notion that women had a choice began to seep into the pages of these reads where women were urged to be not only proactive but particular when finding a partner. Articles even went to the extent of endorsing the single women, rejecting the notion of marriage as a means of success. This has influenced marriage figures today with more women opting out of marriage or simply tying the knot later in life.

Cleo (1992) – “The Power of being one” by Judith Sills

It is not to say that print was the starting point, the springboard of female empowerment in relationships. For decades there have been feminist movements and other political activities that have sprung from a wide range of avenues. However it is fair to say that women’s magazines have promoted and fostered the changes we have seen in the social structure of the intimate relationship.

Further, it is important to recognise the mutual dependence that exists between print channels like women’s magazines and society’s activities and changes. Without society, print would have little to report and without the evolution of social arrangements, much of what is contained in artefacts such as the women’s magazine would remain the same. On the other hand, society can be heavily influenced by what and how issues and hot topics are presented (particularly in terms of advice columns) and female reads, as outlined above have the potential to encourage and fuel societal shifts.