Cultural Girlshness

Glutinous Maximus
Continued

There are no fastidiously detailed articles on how to make yourself a better lover in Maxim. There are no manuals on how to make your partner hot for you in the shower. The emphasis is on getting the woman into bed; what you do with her there is really not that important. While Cosmo tells you to squeeze your man's toes while assuming the reverse cowgirl position, Maxim tells you it doesn't really matter as long as you're naked. And hot. Hot helps.

Most Aggravating Article
“One Goal Short,” an interview with NHL star Jerome Iginla wherein he talks about his hopes for the new season. Note to Maxim: THERE IS NO SEASON.

Maxim has all the same departments as Cosmo and Glamour – a fashion section, a celebrity interview, quick reviews of new products – it just sprinkles these articles with babes. Glamour and Cosmo both have sections supposedly written from a male perspective. They tackle topics like how to get a guy interested in a second date and why most men really, really do want to commit. They are reassuring and filled with declarations that women really are sexier when they're just being themselves, and that inner beauty totally counts more than physical stuff. Maxim's “Says Her” topic of the month? Groupies recounting their sexcapades.

I'm not trying to say that one style is better than the other. All three magazines made me laugh at times and made me want to cry at others. It's just that when it comes to finding a mainstream women's magazine that is truly irreverent and subversive, we've got a long way to go, baby.