Men are from Maxim Women are from Cosmo

To better understand the differences between geres in magazines, bring to class a “men’s magazine” and a “women’s magazine” of the service genre.

How did you know which was which? Describe.

• The men's magazine would almost always have a scantily clad woman on the cover. Inside, it would either talk about sports, sex, or video games.

• The women's magazine would also most likely have a woman on the cover. The difference is that she would not be wearing something skimpy. Rather, her natural beauty would be empahzised. The contents would be tips on healthy living, cosmetics, recipes, or life stories.

What kinds of products are advertised in the men’s magazine? The women’s?

• The men's contained condom ads, beer ads, or cologne.

• The women's contained makeup ads, health food ads, and perfume.

Are there any noticeable differences in content? What seems to be the main focus of each?

• The differences are very noticable. The men's emphasises sex, violence, and crude humor.
• The women's is more on healthy living and self improvement.
  

What did you think of the opposite sex’s magazine? Was there anything missing in “your” magazine that you saw and liked in the “other” magazine?

• I didn't care for the opposite sex's magazine too much. The only thing I wish they put more into Maxim is recipes. Sometimes guys like to read about cooking without having a half naked girl on the page.
  

Do you think it’s socially useful to read a magazine aimed at the opposite sex? Why or why not?

• I feel that it is extremely useful to read a magazine aimed at the opposite sex. It helps us better relate to the other gender and it gives us more in common to talk about.