Journal Article on Magazines

Reading Representations of Black, East Asian, and White Women in Magazines for Adolescent Girls
Women’s magazines have often played a key role in the disseminating stereotypical gender roles, idealistic beauty standards, detrimental weights, and patriarchal subordination. These magazines shape the images we have of people from different cultures and backgrounds, they shape not only a women’s view of herself but also how society views her.
This article was about the different representations of women in magazines based on their race. The study was designed to compare how White, Black, and East Asian women were portrayed in advertisements found in fashion magazines directed at adolescent girls. The study revealed that there was a correlation found between race and the type of product being advertised as well as a correlation between the race and the importance of the model in the advertisement. Magazines have a social influence by building and reinforcing stereotypes, the images in the magazines also contribute to social problems such as prejudice, educations and occupational opportunities, and racism.
The study found that Black and white models were featured in more prominent and major roles than were East Asian models. East Asian women were featured significantly more in background roles than Black and White women. Eat Asian women were more absent from clothing and beauty advertisements, but more in technology advertisements giving the stereotype that East Asians are hardworking, well educated, and talented in math and science. Black women were seen and portrayed as hyper sexual individuals and deviant beings. Black women were often depicted alone and independent. The white women’s beauty was still seen as ideal, the white woman was tall, thin, blond, and had colored eyes and portrayed in more beauty and fashion advertisements.

Sengupta, R. (2006). Reading Representations of Black, East Asian, and White Women in Magazines for Adolescent Girls. Sex Roles, 54(11/12), 799-808.

[Christina Lopez]