Debunking Cosmo and Similar Women’s Magazines

A public service for women who desire dating quality men: From a man who does not seek a Cosmo woman
By NonCosmoGuy

In today’s world, dating seems utterly daunting. I think I finally figured out why. Recently, I decided to go to the source many women turn to for dating advice – Cosmopolitan and similar women’s magazines. Why I didn’t try this sooner is beyond me. I never gave such magazines any credence. Then, a woman told me she spends tons of time reading Cosmo. So, I decided to peruse Cosmo’s online website and attempt to ascertain if Cosmo was doling out bad information. As a guy, my analysis is that Cosmo is giving out some bad information. Unfortunately, women seem to be taking it to heart. This, I believe, is why dating is so daunting in today’s world. So, women, I urge you to stop taking the advice of Cosmopolitan and similar women’s magazines.

Once on the Cosmopolitan website, I found myself reading an article titled, “How to Get Hit On All the Time.” The alleged goal of the article is to help women be irresistible to men without saying a word. I take umbrage with aspects of the article. The article unequivocally states, “Yes, men find heels sexy.” It is in no way true that all men find heels sexy. To me, a woman wearing long heels is sending three messages about herself – she’s impractical, insecure and materialistic. All three traits are turn-offs. There is nothing practical about balancing on a pair of 4 inch heels all night. When I see you teetering on those stilettos, I wonder what other impractical decisions you make. I also wonder why you feel the need to wear such obtrusive footwear. It is only natural that I come to one of two conclusions – either you are insecure with your height or you are materialistic. Both traits are turn-offs and will encourage me to avoid you.

In a very short period of time while perusing the Cosmopolitan website, I came across two articles that claimed a stunning fact. “How to Attract Better Guys” and “7 Signs He’ll Never Marry You” both claimed that romance early on is a bad thing. The former article claimed romantic dates were a form of over-compensation, while the latter article suggested romantic dates indicate the man is trying to hide the woman. I could see how a jaded woman could come to such conclusions, but to rule out guys simply because they try to romance you is the exact opposite of what I would suggest. The articles in question were written by women (Molly Fahner and Niki Evans) whom I have no knowledge of, being brand new to Cosmo. However, to this man, they sound like jaded interpretations on dating.

I decided to do a little bit of research into the aforementioned authors and found that the Niki Evans article is also posted on MSN titled “7 Surprising Signs He’ll Never Marry You.” It appears I am not the only man that has issues with the article. The comments attached to article suggest the article encourages women to “jump to conclusions,” instills fear in women and encourages them to “overanalyze every little detail of what the guy does.” Other comments called the article “incorrect,” “stupid” and “trash.” One man displayed his dissatisfaction by saying, “These kinds of articles really frustrate me.” Another man who encouraged seeking the truth and asking questions (as opposed to making assumptions) said, “This drivel packed article needs to be jammed into the bowels of magazines like Cosmo and not cluttering up the web.” Since Cosmo is where I originally found the article, I suppose that is a fitting end comment to this article, as well as a great segue. It is for these men – and the women who are unduly influenced by such lowbrow articles – that I am debunking Cosmo, similar magazines and, apparently, in this case, MSN. I fear that if I must debunk the entire World Wide Web, my job may be a lot more difficult than I first imagined.

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