Maxim Magazine's Outrageous 'Cure' for Feminism: A Look Back at Early 2000s Misogyny
EXCLUSIVE: Maxim Magazine's Cringeworthy Attempt to "Cure" Feminists Exposed
In a shocking revelation that has left many in the feminist community fuming, a resurfaced article from Maxim magazine's archives has revealed the publication's cringe-worthy attempt to "cure" feminists. The 2003 article, titled "How to Cure a Feminist," is a masterclass in sexism, misogyny, and outdated attitudes towards women.
The article, which was recently shared on Reddit, takes aim at what Maxim deems as "unshaven, militant, and protesting vegan" women. Yes, you read that right – the magazine is essentially saying that if a woman doesn't conform to societal beauty standards or participate in traditional feminine pursuits, she needs to be "cured." The article's tone is dripping with condescension, patronizing women for their interests and values.
The piece begins by stating that feminists are just like any other woman – except they won't give men the time of day if they don't know how to approach them. Maxim's solution? Pretend to share her beliefs, hide your lack of feminist knowledge, and ask intelligent questions like "What must women do to earn equal pay for this equal work?" or "Has Gloria Steinem's marriage hurt the feminist agenda?"
The article is riddled with examples of objectification and sexism. One of the accompanying photos shows a woman holding up her arms to show off her hairy underarms, while another image depicts a woman in a tiny top and short shirred white skirt. The magazine's advice on how to treat a feminist is to "treat her right" – as long as you're not overbearing, she won't object to your opening the occasional door or picking up a check.
But the most egregious part of the article is the way it tries to normalize and trivialize feminism. Maxim suggests signing women up for Bust magazine, which they claim says "women can be independent, strong, and relatively hairless." The implication is that if a woman wants to be taken seriously as a feminist, she needs to conform to traditional beauty standards.
The article's advice on how to "shift her focus" is equally cringeworthy. Maxim quotes Michelle Weiner-Davis, the author of The Sex Starved Marriage, who says to focus on the things you have in common. But what they're really saying is that women need to be persuaded to abandon their feminist interests and values in order to maintain a relationship.
The article's conclusion is a slap in the face to all women who have ever identified as feminists. The final photo shows a woman posing in only a red and black lingerie with heavy eye makeup, with a big "cured" stamp over her image. It's a disturbing reminder of the way Maxim has always objectified and reduced women to their physical appearance.
The backlash on Reddit has been swift and merciless, with users slamming Maxim for its ridiculously sexist advice. One user snarked, "Awfully bold of them to disguise their bimbofication porn as relationship advice." Another chimed in, "This just sums up the nonsense that was the early 2000s. The media was always taking hot wrong takes when it came to women."
The controversy surrounding Maxim's article comes on the heels of another scandal last week, where the magazine published a list of the "unsexiest" female celebrities. The list included stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Amy Winehouse, Sandra Oh, Madonna, and Britney Spears, with brief descriptions explaining why they made the cut.
It's clear that Maxim has a long history of objectifying and reducing women to their physical appearance. But this latest controversy raises questions about the publication's attitude towards feminism and its treatment of women in general.
As one Reddit user so aptly put it, "There needs to be some sort of gender course that's specific to the early 2000s. Gay 'jokes,' feminism 'jokes' [were] aplenty in the early '00's. Movies like American Pie that released around the period exemplify this and man does it not hold up at all today."
It's time for Maxim to take a long, hard look at its past mistakes and make amends with the feminist community. But until then, it's clear that their "advice" on how to treat women is still stuck in the dark ages.
Sources:
- A resurfaced article from Maxim magazine's archives
- Reddit users' comments on the article