FHM is a monthly magazine publication that “gives guys what they want,” as described by them. But, what exactly do men want? And how does the magazine provide that? The magazine upholds and displays many values and interests we traditionally associate with men and masculinity: cars, money, and women. Using the magazine ads and contents as a guide, how are men supposed to act? How are women perceived and depicted? In what ways are the values of their viewers shaped?
The four magazine covers are some of the most desired and sought out by advertisers, the cover being one of the main ones. The front cover features an older southern belle, naked, and seductively draped by the American flag– fitting for the July issue. Her gaze is directly to the viewer, a demand. The photo is captured as a long shot; long shots are impersonal. The object? Her body. The context? Her body. Her body is the focus, the patriotic colorful American flag contrasts the plain monochromatic beach background bringing attention to its contouring of the body. “Sex in advertising is pornographic because it dehumanizes and objectifies people, especially women…” (Kilbourne 420). These “beautiful women” as described, lack varying features and depictions. Objectifying women results in women being treated as objects, valued only for their sexual use. If women are constantly fetishized and seen in an erotic light, then their humanity can easily be stripped away and thus be seen as such, sexual objects. The portrayals of objectifications in ads and other representations suggest that women are objects to be looked at, touched, and used. Only when men’s perceived control of women no longer exists, they are less likely to respond in violent, degrading ways. The sexual objectification of women by men is driven not only by sexual desires but also by power dynamics and the need to maintain male dominance. Objectifying is a form of dehumanization. If women are seen as objects and not as humans then it is easier to commit violence against them. “Reproduced paintings, like all information, have to hold their own against all the other information being continually transmitted” (Berger 10). To combat this, as time goes on, these images get progressively extreme and more objectified.
Man vs. Bear: Becoming the Bear
“It’s a primal clash—human cunning versus raw animal power” (FHM 29). This situation resembles more of a comparison than a rivalry. Overcoming the bear symbolizes dominance, allowing primal instinct to take over. But doesn’t this mean that man becomes bear? The archetype of the hairy Southern lumberjack is often compared to a bear. This association leads us to connect masculinity with being a dominant, primal creature. The portrayal of this archetype often encourages violence against women. A dominant man needs something—or someone—to dominate. When women are constantly depicted in magazines as submissive, one can unconsciously (or consciously) make the connection.
“I choose the bear” is a response many women express, the thought of a potential bear attack is less terrifying than what a man is capable of doing to them. Everyone would believe them, no one would ask what they were wearing during the attack. Many men are angered by this movement, they cannot fathom us picking a wild animal over them. This goes to show how men are oblivious to the very real violence they perpetrate against women.
“You should watch more nature documentaries,” they say. I’ve watched enough true crime ones.
Many women carry pepper spray instead of bear spray, media portrayals and societal norms have taught us to look out for men and not bears. Don’t walk at night, stay in groups, dress modestly, “We are so desperate to believe we are in control of what happens to us. It is too frightening to face the fact that male violence against women is irrational and commonplace” (Kilbourne 427). This quote highlights the concerning reality that, even though violence against women is socially unacceptable (I HOPE), it occurs frequently and irrationally. It cannot be justified, it is caused by harmful rhetoric and power dynamics that dehumanize women. Societal norms and gender stereotypes contribute to normalization of violence against women making it seem more “commonplace” than it should be.
“Male violence is subtly encouraged by ads that encourage men to be forceful and dominant, and to value sexual intimacy more than emotional intimacy” (Kilbourne 422). We see an example of this in the spread below. There is an attractive blonde in a floral blazer and pink heels; she is not a natural blonde, her looks are tailored to fit into societal beauty standards. She is posed, feet up making the length of her blazer known, hands framing her exposed breasts. She is not another model as portrayed, but a sex and relationship “guru”. She seems to embody and emphasize the former but fails to recognize the complexity of relationships. This makes it seem that sex is all that there is to a healthy relationship, because the advice values physical connection, ignoring all else.
What does it mean to be a woman? Being the beauty in a world full of beasts. Leigh stands in front of a tan horse. The horse is looking away, she is looking towards us holding the reins, she is taking control. She is looking directly at us, a demand, commanding attention and fostering a sense of connection which triggers the interest of the viewer. She is the dominant force that has the power. Horses represent many things; liberation, freedom, the desire for autonomy and breaking free from societal constraints. However, Leigh and the horse are grounded and still. One begs to question, does she truly have autonomy or is she too restrained by societal constraints?
A significant portion of the magazine was devoted to business and “Millionaire Tips” (FHM 54), which included brief biographies of young billionaires. Surprisingly, it featured a diverse range of individuals, both men and women, although they remained faceless. Additionally, the magazine included a segment that highlighted a particular businessman, focusing on him and his business advice and secrets.“What are the top 5 tips you can give our readers who want to succeed in business?” (FHM 55) and “How important is social media to the success of a brand these days?” (FHM 57). This contrasts with Leigh, a businesswoman. She has a degree in Political Science and is an event coordinator, as well as owner and creator of a marketing company. I ‘d expect her to know a thing or two about business, but most of the questions asked to her were focused not on her but on men and love. She received questions such as, “To please or be pleased?” (FHM 94) or “Favorite body part on you? On him?” (FHM 94) or “What attracts you the most in a man?” (FHM 94). You can argue that there are still a couple of the typical tell us about yourself questions, but it only occupies less than one page amid the sea of erotic pictures of her.
“Liberation,” is defined as “freedom from limits on thought or behavior”(Oxford Dictionary). The example the dictionary gives speaks for itself: “the struggle for women’s liberation.” How can women be truly liberated if our accomplishments, our thoughts, and our behaviors are overshadowed by the size of our breasts? Women are not the brains, not the brawns, but the beauty.