Ms. Magazine's Cultural Impact
A Brief Look at the Feminist Glossy's History and Future
Sep 27, 2008
Glossy fashion magazines have always held a place on women's coffee tables, dispelling advice on such topics as proper cosmetic applications, how to dress for success and how to seduce a man. However, with the rise of feminism in the late 1960s and early 70s, a new breed of women were surfacing and their reading preferences vastly transcended the airy fluff-packed articles that were jam packed in typical women's magazines.
History of Ms. Magazine
The history (or more appropriately "her-story") behind Ms. magazine is as diverse as the publication itself. What began as a one-time insert in the December 1971 issue of New York Magazine became so instantly popular that it began regular publication as a complete magazine in July 1972. The success of the trial issue clearly resonated with women, selling out all 300,000 copies nationwide in just over a week.
Ms. magazine has the unique distinction of being the first U.S. publication to cover such topics as advocating for the ERA, rating presidential candidates on issues of concern to women, "commission and feature a national study on date rape, and to blow the whistle on the undue influence of advertising on women's journalism." Furthermore, Ms. was the first women's print publication to feature domestic violence and sexual harassment on the cover.
The Future of Ms. Magazine
Because Ms. adheres to a policy of strictly scrutinizing its advertorial content, it has not carried any advertisements since 1990. Though this serves to strengthen the magazine's appeal to women in terms of protesting the control that advertisers have over editorial content, it also hinders the magazine's ability to generate any substantial profit. Ms. has often had trouble competing fiscally with other women's magazines on the newsstands today. Ms. has gone from monthly issues to quarterly, advertising to non-profit and changed ownership regularly, which has lent it a variation in content and demographics. All of these upheavals have made the 36-year-old publication's future shaky.
Famous Contributors and Content of Ms. Magazine
Throughout its history, Ms. magazine had had a diversified group of feminist contributors including Gloria Steinem (who also co-founded the magazine with Letty Cottin Pogrebin), Alice Walker, Angela Davis and Barbara Ehrenreich. This decade saw the launch of a new ad campaign for Ms. magazine with famous women such as actress Ashley Judd, singer Lisa Loeb and comedian Margaret Cho boldly declaring "This is what feminism looks like".
For a magazine that has spanned over 30 years, it has had its share of controversial content. One of the most memorable and controversial pieces was 1972's "I Have Had an Abortion" petition, which included the signatures of such prominent women as Anne Sexton, Anais Nin, Nora Ephron, Billie Jean King and Susan Sontag among others. The popularity and importance of this campaign was so influential that the magazine ran a similar story in its 2006 issue titled "We Had Abortions" featuring Gloria Steinem, Kathy Najimy and Amy Brenneman among others, in order to bring to light the issue of those states looking to overturn to Roe vs. Wade.
Modern Predecessors to Ms. Magazine
While Ms. has always set a precedent for its strong feminist editorial content, there have been some magazines that have attempted to follow in its second-wave footsteps. Some of the most successful have included Sassy/Jane, Bust and Bitch. Though Sassy folded in 1994 and Jane subsequently folded in 2007, Bust and Bitch remain popular mainstream magazines with a feminist slant. Both magazines not only mimic the feminist ideals of Ms., but also its advertising position by placing ads for independent and female-friendly products and services.
Although Ms. will likely continue facing an uphill battle in terms of staying afloat due to revenue, it will also continue to secure a readership of women who are not willing to buy into the popular ideals of what is being sold to them elsewhere.
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