A Summary of and Reaction to “Turning Goys into Girls” by Michelle Cottle
In Michelle Cottle’s essay “Turning Goys into Girls” (published May, 1998), Cottle describes how men’s magazines and other factors are increasing the male beauty standard to the towering, unrealistic female standard and the male beauty standard’s effect on gender equality. Men are buying more and doing more to meet the new standard for physical appearance because marketers have almost capped the women consumer market, so men are the new target. Cottle understands that reason women and men are compelled to do what they can to look good is rooted in companies creating imaginary consumer needs, and insecurities so the companies can make money, yet she embraces the gender politics of the situation: men are being targeted and falling into the same trap beauty standard trap. …show more content…
can only dream of… Men’s Health is peddling a standard of male beauty as unforgiving and unrealistic as the female version sold...” I agree that the best way to get men to understand women is to make men feel like women. For example, whenever I feel as if someone has done wrong by me, I ask them, “How would you feel if I did that to you?” They usually respond with a shameful smile because they understand the error in their ways. Now, the person and I have an understanding, and we should not have that problem again. However, what do women gain from men also feeling insecure and emotional about their looks? The answer is simple: women gain nothing, only the companies that edit and sell magazines and profit from not only the magazine's sales, but also from advertisements for several hundred or thousand