Skip to main content
Log in

A Feminist Analysis of Seventeen Magazine: Content Analysis from 1945 to 1995

  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study is an extension of the contentanalysis conducted by K. Peirce [(1990) “AFeminist Theoretical Perspective on the Socialization ofTeenage Girls Through Seventeen Magazine,” SexRoles, Vol. 23, pp. 491-500]. Her study examined thecontent of Seventeen magazine for the years 1961, 1972,and 1985, and the impact of the feminist movement fromthe 1960s through the 1980s. The present study explored the content of Seventeen magazine in the years1945, 1955, 1965, 1975, 1985, and 1995 to determine ifthe articles that are presented have changed in responseto the feminist movement from the 1940s to the present day. These results would supportthe contention that there is a relationship between thecontent of Seventeen magazine, in terms of traditionalvs. feminist messages, and the women's movement. However, these changes are slight and still donot reflect the various roles of teenage girls.Implications for further research arediscussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

REFERENCES

  • Bailey, M. (1969). The women's magazine short story heroine in 1957 and 1967. Journalism Quarterly, 46, 552–557.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brake, M. (1980). The sociology of youth culture and youth subcultures: Sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll? Boston, MA: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byers, P. Y. (1994). A content analysis of women in local and college newspapers during the year of the woman. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, New Orleans, LA.

  • Ceffalio, D. (1994). Teenagers get sassy: A content analysis of the current teen magazine market. Paper submitted to the 1994 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Atlanta, GA.

  • Daniel, R. L. (1987). American women in the 20th century: The festival of life. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faludi, S. (1991). Backlash: The undeclared war against American women. New York: Crown Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finz, S. D. An analysis of sex role stereotyping in daytime television serials. Paper presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

  • Franzwa, H. H. (1975). Females roles in women's fiction magazines: 1940–1970. In R. Unger & F. Denmark (Eds.), Woman: Dependent or independent variable? New York: Psychological Dimensions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freidan, B. (1963). The feminine mystique. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kidd, V. (1975). Happily ever after and other relationship styles: Advice on interpersonal relations in popular magazines, 1951–1973. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 61, 31–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, C. (1995). Images of Rosie: A content analysis of women workers in American magazine advertising, 1940–1946. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 72, 216–227.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, J. (1994). The difference: Growing up female in America. New York: Warner Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • McRobbie, A. J. (1982). An ideology of adolescent femininity. In B. Waites, T. Bennett, & G. Martin (Eds.), Popular culture: Past and present. London: Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newkirk, C. J. (1977). Female roles in non-fiction of three women's magazines. Journalism Quarterly, 54, 779–782.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orenstein, P. (1994). School girls, young women, self-esteem, and the confidence gap. Washington, DC: American Association of University Women.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peirce, K. (1990). A feminist theoretical perspective on the socialization of teenage girls through Seventeen magazine. Sex Roles, 23, 491–500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peirce, K. (1993). Socialization of teenage girls through teen-magazine fiction: The making of a new woman or an old-lady? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Kansas City, MO.

  • Roberts, N. (1980). From pumps, pearls, and pleats to pants, briefcases, and hardhats: Changes in the portrayal of women in advertising and fiction in “Ladies Home Journal,” 1960–1962 to 1974–1976. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism, Boston, MA.

  • Romer, N. (1981). The sex-role cycle. New York: Feminist Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sebald, H. (1977). Adolescence: A social psychological analysis. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, S. J. (1976). The and now: Women's roles in McCall's magazine in 1964 and 1974. Paper presented at the Association for Education in Journalism, College Park, MD.

  • Steinke, J. (1995). A lab of her own: Portrayals of female characters on children's educational science programs. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Albuquerque, NM.

  • Strasburger, V. C. (1995). Adolescents and the media: Medical and psychological impact. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, V. (1989). The future of feminism: A social movement analysis. In L. Richardson & V. Taylor (Eds.), Feminist frontiers II. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schlenker, J.A., Caron, S.L. & Halteman, W.A. A Feminist Analysis of Seventeen Magazine: Content Analysis from 1945 to 1995. Sex Roles 38, 135–149 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018720813673

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018720813673

Keywords

Navigation