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Does Cosmo Girl’ mean something else now?

By Stephanie Raycroft
The Argus (Lakehead
University)

THUNDER BAY (CUP) —
As I was going through
the Walmart checkout line
with a friend the other
night, something caught
my eye on the magazine
rack. I guess I should

say someone instead of
“something,” because my
Taylor Swift “spidey-sense”
was tingling. Sure enough,
I found her on the cover

of Cosmopolitan. I think
what I immediately felt
was shock, which then dis-
sipated into a bittersweet,
love-hate sort of emotion.

I was unsure of how to
feel about T-Swift gracing
the cover of Cosmo. On one
hand, it speaks to the fact
that she is growing up, no
longer the wistful teenager
writing lovesick melodies
from her bedroom. On the
other, I feel like it almost
doesn’t fit. I see her as being
more than what Cosmo
sells, which is, to be frank,
sex. Needless to say, this
really got me thinking.

What does it mean to be
a Cosmo cover girl? As far as
I can tell — having spent last
pub night scouring ancient
covers of Cosmo-past — it
used to mean being part
of the sexual revolution.
The magazine was liber-
ating, with cover-content
including discussions of
birth control, and ways that
women can become happier
and more independent.

Old covers were very “Iam
woman, hear me roar!”

Nowadays, when some-
one thinks of Cosmo, they
think of sex. To be fair, the
content of the magazine’s
past is still existent, but it
might not make the cover;
if it does, the small font size
is enough to show where
priorities lie. Yet, what is
slightly unnerving is that
Cosmo’s cover girls are
actually getting younger.

Dakota Fanning was

broken some hearts, she’s
experienced love and loss,

17 when she completed
her cover shoot, but had

maturity of the young
women featured in them.

young woman like Taylor
Swift would depreciate

turned 18 as the February, Obviously, marketing her value by making emotional ups and downs,
2012 issue went to press. plays a huge role in cover such a proclamation. And and she’s managed to be
Stars like Demi Lovato and content and the choice in then it hit me, the most approximately six billion

times more successful than I
could imagine being, in my
wildest dreams. Through
it all, she’s maintained
the same inspiring,
positive personality, and
remained a kid at heart.
While I was undecided
upon first encounter, I think
I’ve made up my mind. To
me, a Cosmo girl is strong,
independent, liberated,
and never apologizes. And
that’s who Taylor Swift is.
She’s someone that I aspire
to be, and having her as a
cover girl is something I can
stand behind because she
sets a good example for all

Selena Gomez were only
18 when their respective
issues were released this
year. This is especially

6G

surprising considering

that the youngest cover

girl of 2011 was Hayley

Williams of Paramore at 22.
The stats don’t lie. The

average age of the Cosmo

cover stars. Over the years,
our more sexually-aware
youth might have been
responsible for Cosmo’s

obvious and plausible
conclusion that, as usual,
had managed to evade
my train of thought: she

The average age of the Cosmo cover girl in 2010 was 28.4; in
2011, it was 26.75; in 2012, it has impressively dropped, at
23.8 thus far.

readership becoming
younger. Younger cover
girls would be a way to
tap into this new market,
and Cosmo would have
been absolutely bonkers

wasn’t. In fact, one might

even argue that she actu-

ally embodies all of the

feminist values that older

issues of Cosmo promote.
In her few years of

cover girl in 2010 was 28.4; _ not to go in this direction. life, T-Swift’s been of us. Keep it up Cosmo...
in 2011, it was 26.75; in My problem with it lies in through it all. x as long as the cover girls
2012, it has impressively the idea that these young She’s had don’t get any younger.
dropped, at 23.8 thus far. women endeavour to her heart

Mind you, the youngest rid themselves of their broken,

cover girl in the publica- childish image; it’s a way she’s

tion’s history is still Brooke
Shields, whom graced the
front page at the tender age
of 15. This seems to be one

for them to say, “I’m not

a little girl anymore.”
“Tam now a sexual

being,” is more accurate

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  

of those strange ‘80s anom- _ here, but I digress.
alies, like shoulder pads My initial
or frosted pink lipstick. displeasure was

with the idea
that a strong,
confident,
smart

I guess what I’m trying
to say is that the overly
sexualized reputation that
Cosmo has self-marketed
over the years makes their
past choices in cover girls
somewhat inappropriate...
to the naked eye. That said,
on the covers featuring
younger starlets like
Selena and Demi,
you'll find the
word “sex” A
(deliciousl lop
creative * 7

variations

and all)

is actually

featured less. The

cover content of

these specific issues

is tailored to the age and

19