Reality is subjective and is interpreted through cultural frames and expectations. People determine their ideas and notions about the world surrounding them through constructed representational systems. These systems enable people to convey and identify messages through symbols. When symbols are repeatedly depicted in one particular light by the media they have the power to mold perceptions. Through stereotyping or naturalization, culture myth may become an accepted reality by society. These myths usually involve power struggles. The dominating power perpetuates limited roles and representation of the other resulting in a false reality and negative associations of the suppressed power. Currently, in our society the magazines Cosmopolitan for woman and Maxim for men are two dominating forces in the media that degrade women and limit their representation. Despite the different target audiences, both magazines only define women through the lens of male sexuality. The audience only gains knowledge from the magazine through a male interpretation. This technique lures women to view the world through the desires of men. Moreover, the magazine encourages women to neglect their own individuality and to perceive themselves only in the context of the male fantasy world. The structure of Cosmopolitan and Maxim benefit the male dominated society by maintaining power through representation and capitalizing on selling their ideal image.

Before analyzing these magazines in further detail their purpose and targeted markets must be identified. In the magazine for men, advertisements and articles include many different interests. The magazine for women is more limited and focused on creating an image and promoting beauty. Cosmopolitan is aimed to appeal to young upper middle-class white women. The advertisements include expensive, name brand fashion and beauty products. The images in these advertisements are mainly thin, white, and attractive women. The articles are based upon fashion, relationships, sex, and beauty, with some personal interest stories. The titles of the articles include: "What to Wear Now," "The Six Signs for Guy is Hooked," "The 4 Ways to Fall in Love," "His Point of View: Men's Secret After-Sex Wish List." In comparison, Maxim is aimed at young teenage boys and college aged men. The advertisements focus on fashion, alcohol, sports, video games and cars. They use sexually charged images to engage the viewer. The articles include topics such as:"Jump-Start Your Sex life," "In Bed with Tara Reid," "Pseudo-Jailbait," and "The 100 Worst Ideas Ever." These magazines are geared towards light reading on entertainment, fashion, and personal interest stories. However, the underlying messages objectify women.

In the case of these magazines, "You can judge a book by its cover." The covers of the magazines share strikingly similar images. They both have an image of a thin blonde; blue eyed female celebrity on the cover. Both women are posed to invite the male gaze; therefore the audience is placed in the male subject-position. According to Foucault the photographer creates meaning for the image through discourse between the subject and the viewer. Subject, as defined by Foucault has two meanings: "Subject to someone else's control and dependence, and tied to it's own identity by a conscience and self-knowledge." The two meanings of subject create a discourse between the viewer and the image. The viewers subject themselves into the subject of the image to make sense of it, while the creators subject themselves as the ideal viewer to understand what meaning is being produced. In order to identify with an image we must find the position that we make the most sense. For instance, the woman is in the position to appeal to a man's desire. Women can only come to understand this mage by placing themselves in the desiring male role. A male mind constructed this image to appeal to their sexual appetites, and to encourage women to satisfy these fantasies. Tara Reid is placed on the cover of Maxim to represent the cultural representation in the media on what a desirable woman is to men. In contrast, Cosmopolitan places Cameron Diaz on its cover creating a standard of beauty that women should obtain to satisfy male desires. Together these magazines perpetuate one standard of beauty and femininity that is defined by men. This limited representation creates stereotypes and solidifies the naturalization concept of the role of women in our society. These effects become clearer after investigating other images and articles with Cosmopolitan and Maxim.

Although the underlying message about the role of women is consistent in both magazines the message is packaged differently. Maxim sends the message to men in their images, articles, and advertisements that women are mere objects that enjoy their gazes, and want to be dominated. Women are represented as both eager to satisfy the desires of men and as an accessory to the mal ego. In Cosmopolitan the articles and images focus on pleasing men by understanding the male mind. The messages persuade women to accept the dominance of men by defining themselves in terms of male expectations. Cosmopolitan is a guide for women to live in the male fantasy world created by the media, while Maxim reinforces male stereotypes of women by representing them as enjoying the exploitation of their bodies and being submissive to men.

These themes are exemplified in the images of advertisements. By comparing an advertisement for women in Cosmopolitan and an advertisement for men in Maxim, the dominance of male sexuality in the media becomes crystal clear. In Cosmopolitan the advertiesement for the perfume Heavenly by Victoria Secret has a naked angel with a seductive expression inviting the male gaze (page 83). The woman has features similar to the cover girl. She is thin; blue eyed, and has blonde hair. The image is selling the concept that the perfume helps a person receive the same male gaze as the angel leading the consumer to equate beauty and desire with Heavenly perfume. In Maxim, the advertisement for Perry Ellis clothing for men focuses on one specific body part of a woman (page 72). By directing the viewer to the breasts of the woman she becomes an object composed of different parts that can be separated, observed, and judged by men.

The same themes are apparent in a comparison between articles within Maxim and Cosmopolitan. The cover girls on these magazines are interviewed and photographed within the spread. Although their interviews are presented in different context they still work within the same structural frame of male dominance in the media. Cameron Diaz is presented as personable and beautiful by Cosmopolitan (page 172). Her image on the cover is obviously suggestive, however in the article her pictures are modest and friendly in order to relate to women readers. Although Diaz has starred in many movies, she is featured in Cosmopolitan because she fits into the accepted stereotypical role of a woman as assigned by the media. The article does not focus on her talent or experience as an actress. Instead the story is based on her beauty, life-style and relationships with men. The subtitle states, "Everyone's favorite funny girl spills about her new movies, hunky costar, and the recent discover she's made about men." This introduction sets the mood for an interview based on her interactions with me. For example, she is asked the questions: "What is the secret to you being an effective flirt?" "So are you romantic?" "Have you found it harder for Hollywood couples to stay together?" (Page 175). Also there is a quote by Luke Wilson, a co-star that states, "When I met her...that was the first time I ever felt blown away by a person who was really genetically designed for the big screen" (Page 174). The article still works within the dominant male structure because of the reasons for her presence in the magazine even if the stereotypical aspects are twisted and disguised.

Tara Reid’s interview in Maxim clearly illustrates the use of woman as objects. The sub-headline reads, "Hollywood's favorite party girl reveals even more for her Maxim return engagement." There are four sexually suggestive photographs of Reid. One has the caption: "Sex between friends doesn't have to mess things up. You can keep being friends, and the sex can be kind of a benefit" (page 124). The questions she is asked include: "How about sex with an ex?" and "Do you believe in booty calls?" (Page 128) The article creates an image of women as enjoying the male gaze and stereotype. She perpetuates the notion that women like to conform to their role in the media.

Maxim and Cosmopolitan not only participate in stereotyping women bit they also encourage the notion of male dominance and female subordination. This is evident in comparing two similar articles with different advice. Maxim writes about how to get away with cheating on a girlfriend, while Cosmopolitan writes on whether or not to keep a cheating boyfriend by interpreting cheating through the perspective of men. Maxim promotes lying about affairs to their girlfriends with suggestions like, "always dial 411 after a 'naughty' call," and warns men to be cautious of women leaving things behind "to mark their territory" (page 64). Cosmopolitan encourages women to define cheating by rules that men follow instead of insisting that women follow their own rules on what constitutes as having an affair (page 120). For example the article states that some men do not consider sleeping with another women cheating unless they had a monogamous talk, and when men confess, it means they are sorry and you should take them back. Women should define cheating in their own relationship by their own standards. This article represents the mind-set Cosmopolitan frames on women thinking in terms of the male mind.

The stereotypes of women exist in the media because of the hegemony of men in the media field and the marketing value of idealizing a notion of beauty. Women spend tremendous amounts of money on obtaining the ideal look designated by the media. Men also gain a position of power in society by constructing the myth that women must fit into their fantasy wold to be accepted. Those who fail to submit are labeled the other or insignificant. According to Dyer, stereotyping is defined as exaggerating and simplifying characteristics of a person and limiting their representation to those traits. The media has defined beauty and women in limited terms creating a mythical norm and false sense of reality.

Both Foucault and Gramsci agree that power seduces, silicates, and wins consent offer its audience (page 261). They conclude that power effects both the dominating and dominated cultures. Power produces discourse and creates a new type of knowledge. Power in terms of representation effects to everyone within the system. The media is selling the idea of female and male sexuality to both genders in order to naturalize their roles through symbols and stereotypes By creating specific qualities to attribute to each sex it is easier for the media to market their products and ideas. The myths illustrated in these magazines paint a new picture of reality revolving around the male fantasy world. The distortion of reality in these magazines is exemplified best in a disclaimer for Cosmopolitan: "the models photographed in cosmopolitan are used for illustrative purposes only; Cosmopolitan does not suggest that the models actually engage in the conduct discussed in the stories they illustrate" (Cosmopolitan credits). Most of the women who engage in the activities and articles in this magazine do not fit into the mythical image of a woman, so Cosmopolitan is forced to find models that will reflect the false reality constructed by the media.