periodicals... Reviewed by BARBARA GREEN AT THE dentist, on the tube, in the bath. At some time or other we have all been tempted by the gloss, the endless articles about orgasms, the dreadful recipes and of course the "problem pages' of women's magazines. purpose - an article in Socialist Outlook - that I recently bought a selection of them from my local newsagent: Bella, Best, Riva (now collapsed), New Woman, Options, Woman. And I threw in a copy of Everywoman and Spare about sitting yourself down at one time with so many of these magazines. Pictures of the 'perfect woman grinning at you from every front cover - I found myself comparing the women (to each other, not to myself, I hasten to add!) The most striking thing about them apart from the fact they nearly all are white, is their remarkable teeth - I can honestly
On a quick flick through, the magazines (apart from Everywoman and Spare Rib) are
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R EV definitely aimed at different "kinds' of women.
There are articles about fertility, shopping, fashion, knitting pets and husbands, combined with hundreds more pictures of women who must penny at the dentists!
At least women these days do not have to choose only between Cosmopolitan: the choice is vast. However the competition is already taking its toll: the first victim is Riva, clearly intended as your 'beauty and brains' business women's read, with enthusiastic articles about the channel tunnel (after it's built, we'll be able to buy houses in northern France and still commute to the 'city'!). There is nauseating crap written by a selection of 'new men' about what makes them tick; adverts for Oxfam credit card, and recipes for 'fresh radish, orange and chicory salad'. I ask you! I did not like Riva, but I don't think they were trying to build their circulation on embittered feminist
I turned downmarket for my next read: Bella. This one is a real hoot, aimed primarily at the slightly 'older' woman, but hoping to attract old and young