I have a secret addiction: Marie-Claire magazine. We have a love-hate relationship. I get so excited when a glossy new magazine comes in the mail. I like some of the superficial information about hair and make-up, but after I read through the whole thing, I am always left feeling, welllike crap. Bust magazine is my savior. Unlike Marie-Claire, and Cosmo, and Mademoiselle (and all those other mainstream mags), Bust does not present me with images of sickly thin women on one page and an article about how important it is for women to have confidence in their body on the next. Bust declares itself a magazine for women who have something to get off their chest and it is just that. Most importantly, it captures my interest and makes me think. I am weaning myself of Marie-Claire and I have almost stopped reading it because in the end it is a lot more enjoyable to curl up and read a magazine that leaves me feeling empowered than one that leaves me feeling inadequate.
Fortunately, Bust is not the only good alternative out there. The magazine Bitch gets rave reviews from many of my friends. According to the cover, Bitch is a feminist response to pop culture. Bitch offers its reader a critique of the media as well as profiles of some very "rad" women. I highly suggest that you check it out.
If you cant get to the store you can check both Bust and Bitch out on the web. Busts website is www.bust.com and the Bitch website is www.bitchmagazine.com. If you are especially frustrated with the images you see of women in the media, you may want to check out www.about-face.org. This is a website that focuses on challenging the media and on personal empowerment. Whether you read mainstream magazines or not, if you are a woman who is interested in the media, I highly suggest you check out these websites.
This article contributed by Clare McCallum.
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