Scratchings

Lady mags at the Women’s Libary

lzsl

My first visit to the Women’s Library in East London today, and I’m sold.

The event was a ‘study day’ based on their current (excellent) exhibit, “Between the Covers: Women’s Magazines and their Readers”.

As a long-time hater of most (all?) women’s magazines, it was interesting to see how many card-carrying feminists had secret fondness for even the crappy ones, but there was overwhelming nostalgia for the 60s/70s/80s titles Spare Rib and Nova. Perhaps deservedly so - they looked ace, despite Spare Rib’s naff production values and inexplicably inefficient approach of making every editorial decision by committee. There were many grey-haired attendees who swooned at the presence of Sue O’Sullivan, former member of the editorial committee.

Best though was Margaret Beetham from Manchester Met giving us the lowdown on women’s magazines from the 18th and 19th centuries. The key difference between women’s mags then was class - the aristos had posh publications focusing on fashion and philosophy, whereas the middle classes had practical advice on how to run a household. The latter included Mr and Mrs Beeton’s Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine, which was the 19th century equivalent of Take a Break in terms of popularity.

Alice Beard from Kingston Uni speaking on Nova (the topic of her PhD) was also excellent - her view that consumerism has replaced maternity in defining feminity in magazines certainly struck a chord.

Conspicuous by its absence was any mention of Bitch, the ever-struggling US magazine that gives ‘a feminist response to popular culture’. In any case, it seems to be heading the same way as Spare Rib and Nova - unsustainable by subs or advertising.

No one seemed to have much to say about online content other than ‘there are probably some things happening’ which is a shame as an online mag could easily get round many of the struggles that decent print publications have had. Hmmm….