I just cracked open the November 2006 issue of Seventeen only to be met with truly disturbing news: an advertisement on page 25 says that someone made Save the Last Dance 2. Why, cruel world, why? Lump that in the “classics” bin with Cruel Intentions 2 and Bring it on Again. Perhaps even more disturbing? An ad on page 61 tells says that someone turned one of my favorite TV shows (The OC) into a fragrance “with attitude.” It comes in perfume for her and cologne for him. The world clearly gone crazy. But I digress.
Onto the real content. Seventeen has a good mini feature on girls who had sex too soon and regretted it. The feature is an honest discussion about sex and encourages teenage girls to make sure they are 100% emotionally ready and aware of the consequences before they decide to have sex. Kudos to Seventeen for talking having a full debate on the topic, including risks, rather than other features I’ve seen in women’s mags that gloss over the potential negatives.
The mag also has a “support the troops” feature where Seventeen readers can find out how to donate books, phone cards, and a host of other useful items to our nation’s brave soldiers, which was enjoyable.
Onto more adult fare: the Fall 2006 issue of Ms. Magazine. A spread on pages 14-15 shows just how narrow the organized feminist movement’s vision of “women’s issues” is. Ms. Magazine is happy to provide a map of “2006 Ballot Measures Affecting Women.” According to the map, seventeen states will be dealing with women’s issues this fall. The article names some more initiatives that apparently weren’t map worthy. But, wait. What’s happening in the other 33 states? Shouldn’t all ballot initiatives affect women (just like they affect all men)? Here at IWF, we take a different approach to women’s issues. We believe that all issues are women’s issues.