Music & Culture
Anti-Cosmo Press Release Goes Out – Warning! Explicit Content in This Article!!!
Written by Nicole | January 17, 2012
Girls. I am so excited. The mission I embarked on with you when I launched this site is finally officially getting the major exposure that’s going to change the way Cosmo is marketed!
We all know that Cosmo magazine unashamedly markets to teen girls. They insist in their press kits that their audience is 18-year-olds and over, yet they redesigned the magazine to target younger readers, the former editor-in-chief even ADMITS that they market to underage girls, and they put models on their cover who appeal primarily to teens (for example, stars of shows that only teens watch and everyone knows it!).
Finally, this month they dug their grave by putting underage actress Dakota Fanning on the cover.
I know they have the right to print the pornographic tips they want to print, however it is illegal to market these sex tips to minors. That is a crime, and that is what this whole mission is about. If the magazine is for adults, then let it be sold only to adults.
This is the responsible thing to do. As an older sister, a friend, a Christian leader, and someday (I pray) a mother, I feel it is my duty to protect young eyes from the pornographic cover lines and sex tips within. Let’s get the magazine covered in a non-transparent wrapper and sold to adults only. Kids today are exposed to enough sexual content. They don’t need to be bombarded with it when they accompany their parent to the store.
Read the press release below and, if you still don’t believe me, just look at the pages ripped from a recent issue (I had to block out some text…I’m not going to expose my Project Inspired girls to porn tips!).
I’m doing a flurry of interviews over the next few days. I hope you click in to my Facebook page and “like” it. I will be linking to all the transcripts and podcasts of the interviews as they become available. God bless, Girls!
Successful Model Leading Movement to Prevent Cosmopolitan Magazine from Aggressively Marketing Sex to Minors
Nicole Weider’s Change.org Petition
Seeks FTC Requirement that Cosmo Be Sold Only to Adults
Los Angeles, CA—Overtly adult content requires that publications be sold in non-transparent wrappers to consumers over the age of 18. Yet Cosmopolitan, with cover articles featuring graphic sexuality has snuck under the radar, claiming that its publication is targeted to readers who are of age.
Model Nicole Weider is leading a movement asserting that the publication is actively targeting minors. 17-year-old Dakota Fanning is on the current cover, alongside a cover line, “Too Naughty to Say Here. But you HAVE to try this Sex Trick.” Disney favorite, 19-year-old Selena Gomez, is reported as an upcoming cover model. Weider asks, if the magazine is not targeting an underage audience, why are teen heroines on the cover?
Weider’s Change.org campaign demands that Cosmopolitan be sold in a non-transparent wrapper to adults only to prevent children from buying and reading material inappropriate for their development. The petition already has gained over 20,000 signatures since its launch, and can be viewed at Tinyurl.com/anticosmo.
“We are not asking Cosmopolitan to change their content,” explains Weider. “We simply want them to take responsibility for it. They say it’s for adults, so let them sell it only to adults.”
The American Psychological Association’s 2010 study titled “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls” suggests that sexual images of girls in the media is harming and impeding healthy development, self-image and body-image, and is linked to common mental health problems including eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression.
The campaign began on her website, ProjectInspired.com, but the response from girls negatively affected by the publication was so great the petition was created.
Weider explains, “In recent issues Cosmo has urged readers to sext, participate in anal sex, accept cheating boyfriends, have public sex, try three-somes, and visit pornographic websites with the URLS conveniently provided.
“With our petition, we simply ask that Cosmo admit its content is not appropriate for young girls, stop putting teens on the cover and wrap the magazine in a non-transparent wrapper. If you aren’t marketing to teen girls, then this request shouldn’t be an issue.”
Download the full APA report here:
http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report-full.pdf
[Images: Cosmopolitan Magazine]
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Image: Cosmopolitan Magazine
Posted by lotr1997 on July 18, 2012 at 12:38
I didn’t read or look at the stuff from the magazine, but this is pretty awful! How can people just stand by and let girls and young men get exposed to things like this?
Posted by MeganMarie on January 24, 2012 at 20:00
Today, I saw one of these magazines in one of the girls in my Child Development class this morning. I couldn’t believe it!
Posted by kelaiboo on March 28, 2012 at 02:11
Haha I was so gonna do that but I was too ashamed to even touch that magazine
Posted by divegirl on January 21, 2012 at 11:25
My new favorite past time is turning all the Cosmos around when I go grocery shopping 🙂
Posted by laxgirl3 on January 19, 2012 at 16:52
Just reading the cover explains everything!!!!! WOW! This magazine is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO terrible!!!!! … and extremely inappropriete(if thats how you spell it)
Posted by JDN_Ashley_Gray on January 19, 2012 at 15:02
Wow. This really shows people what kind of trash they are letting young girls read. These people REALLY need Jesus…<3 All we can do is pray.(:
Posted by LittleCricket on January 18, 2012 at 12:46
Thank-you. It’s about time. It’s hard enough being a woman with all the other types of media out there telling us ‘how to be’, ‘how to look’, bla bla bla. This is one step forward. Be it a small one, yes, but one none-the-less. I hate walking into a grocery store and being bombarded with these magazines! It’s simply NOT FAIR. However, that is another topic. Targeting underage girls is the topic right? This shouldn’t even be an issue, but IT IS! Why stop at targeting women my age? They just HAVE to go farther and shove it down these young girls’….CHILDREN’S, throats. This makes me sick. It is NOT okay to slap these young girls’ role models on the covers of these magazines and promote these lifestyles. NOT OK! The LEAST Cosmo Girl can do is censor their “entertainment” and “tips”. This is pollution. Period. Again, thank-you for your hard work. I am completely behind this 100000000000000000000%
Posted by Scream Its Lily on January 17, 2012 at 09:27
Nicole, we are very thankful for this. God bless you so much. You are such a great role model. I pray we get in into a non-transparent polythene bag before Selena gets on the cover! 🙂
Posted by cat99 on January 17, 2012 at 08:07
Nicole – saw you on Fox and Friends this morning. I signed the petition. Thanks for your effort, it is appreciated. I also posted a like on my Facebook page. Best of luck!
Posted by lordslady108 on January 15, 2012 at 16:04
Ew, ew, MEGA EW!!!!!!! What is wrong with the writers of this and similar magazines?!?
Posted by Saphira13 on January 14, 2012 at 13:51
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!! this is soooo disgusting!! I hate that magazine and i do NOT like the sicko people behind it!!!!!! excuse me i need to go hurl
Posted by LizzyL on January 13, 2012 at 18:45
ugg so angry!!! i pray your mission works nicole. good luck
Posted by Sush94 on January 13, 2012 at 05:03
Nicole!
I am so happy right now!!! I was reading an article on http://www.collegecandy.com about this movement, she was obviously against this whole “fiasco” but i am just so happy!
I mean if people are starting to oppose us then it means that God’s working and working fast and Satan is afraid!!!!
Because this is movement is spreading like fire now! Praise God for being so awesome! I can’t wait when God is going to make that woman on collegecandy.com shut up, because i know that He will.
Posted by 1_artist on January 12, 2012 at 11:14
At some stores that sell magazines at the front counter, usually like Publix, there is a flap over the Cosmo magazines to block the cover–at least they’re being courteous. In other places though, it’s clearly visible, visible to children too. Although stores like Publix have a section just for magazines and periodicals. I wonder if any of those magazines are innapropriate, and if they are, are they all hidden, or are some/all of them visible? Just thinking.
Posted by Moira Linn on January 11, 2012 at 21:36
I hate Cosmopolitan. The fact that they put teen actors/actresses/singers is absolutely degraded and disgusting (Plus, if Selena Gomez appears on the next cover, all of my little sisters are going to literally cry). These people are perverted. If you read down at the bottom of paragraph four, it says that once people become a group of others doing the same thing, they feel better about it. If you feel guilty about doing just about anything, DON’T DO IT!!!! This makes my blood boil…
Posted by ajkspeanut on January 11, 2012 at 19:00
Im so glad we are close. Ive truned the cosmo magazines backwards in the stores for months now. People are starting to ask. I show them whats inside and how the kids can read this stuff (i mean its right at eye level) and a couple decided to write letters. And I gave some the web address and they said they would sign the petition. It makes me upset when people write comments defending the magazine. They obviously dont understand our goal here… And I believe cosmo should be put on a bag and only sold to ADULTS which is who they say they target (like you target adults with teenage girls and “sides of them you never knew”) ugh gross
Posted by TheMouseLover on July 5, 2012 at 22:03
I flip them over too! But all i get is a glare form an employee who goes and flips it right back. :/
Posted by 1_artist on January 12, 2012 at 11:09
That’s so awsome that people are listening to you! Keep up the good work! You’re making a difference for everyday people!
Posted by BeMyLoveStory on January 9, 2012 at 22:15
Is Cosmopolitian seriously encouraging its readers to watch porn!? Seriously!? Is it okay to hate a magazine? Because I kind of do right now.
Posted by pinkpenguin318 on January 10, 2012 at 17:23
As long as it goes against God’s Rules (the Bible), I think we have that right!
Posted by Paris on January 9, 2012 at 20:59
God is making it happen! Girls,we are almost there. I bet Kate White is definitely taking notice!
Posted by pinkpenguin318 on January 9, 2012 at 17:39
Omigosh THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! (TIMES A TRILLION) THANKS FOR SAVING ME AND HOPEFULLY MILLIONS OF OTHER TEENAGERS FROM READING THIS DISTURBING AND TRASH-FILLED MATERIAL!!!!! AGAIN…ME, GOD, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO KNOWS THAT IT’S ILLEGAL FOR KIDS TO READ PORN SAY THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by pinkpenguin318 on January 9, 2012 at 17:40
OH AND BTW….COVER THE GIRL’S BUTT!!!!!! just saying…it’s really disturbing. whats more disturbing is how available this is!!!
Posted by ayanna on January 9, 2012 at 16:46
can anybody say SIN??? Pornography is not okay, it’s a sin sin sin!! it’s awful that cosmo is saying that it’s “normal” and accepted and expected for guys to watch porn. it’s not!! and it’s not normal or accepted nor expected for girls either! it’s a horrible, evil addiction. take it from me, as i know it’s power firsthand. it ruins lives. Cosmo is an EVIL, SINFUL magazine and shouldn’t be read by anyone!! this upsets me sooo much Nicole :'(
Posted by 1_artist on January 12, 2012 at 11:06
Thank you for sharing that.
Posted by Ann Marie on January 9, 2012 at 15:38
I don’t get why they would want to do these things
Posted by Monica on January 9, 2012 at 13:15
It’s disgusting how the put the female sex organ’s word on the over. It’s so vulgar. Sex organ’s have become a regular term today. It’s disturbing…
Posted by calieiscalie on January 9, 2012 at 13:14
Yay! I think we can do it nicole! What they do is degrading to woman and can actually give guys a lower expectation of women. God Bless!
Posted by GraceB on January 9, 2012 at 11:13
Another thing that frustrates me is that this porn article says in its first sentence that the fact that all men watch porn is “one of life’s CERTAINTIES, practically right up there with death, taxes, and cellulite.” Excuse me, Cosmo, but I personally really don’t want a man who watches porn, and I find it an upsetting idea that we should assume that our boyfriends watch it, and that we women just need to accept that and move on, or even start watching it with them! It’s gross and addictive, as most people know, and I’m not a fan of Cosmo putting that in their magazine for women to read,let alone teenagers or kids who might pick it up!………Ok, thanks. I just had to get that off my chest.
Posted by TheMouseLover on July 5, 2012 at 22:00
There are so many porn/ masturbation addicts out there 🙁 Let’s pray for them ladies. Pornography has sort of become the “norm” and it seriously needs to stop!
Posted by 1_artist on January 12, 2012 at 11:01
So true. Even though there are alot of guys that watch pornography, it’s a generalization to say that they ALL do, and I agree, they’re normalizing it as though it’s okay. Pornography is gross and addictive, and learning about it from the wrong places doesn’t help either. If only they really understood the truth, they wouldn’t publish that type of stuff, or try to market it to young girls! Secular society tries to normalize all kinds of evil, but we mustn’t fall for it, or else we will fall further from God, and that’s sad for anyone.
Posted by Janazza on January 17, 2012 at 11:06
If I new that the guys I was dating was watching porn while dating me i would say, “forget it.” No girl should date a guy who isn’t satisfied. I mean, you date a person and become boyfriend and girlfriend because you love them. That guys mustn’t love you if he has to watch pornography to be happy.
Posted by Weaselbns on January 9, 2012 at 20:24
I agree. I think that if my guy told me he watched porn it’d be a turn off. Its lust, and lust is a sin.
Posted by ayanna on January 9, 2012 at 16:50
amen!! God says to stay away from porn for a reason. it pulls people down and destroys lives. and it is not and will never be acceptable for men to watch porn. when women make it okay for men to watch porn, and watch it with them, america has truly turned into a new Sodom and Gomorrah. we’d better repent, or watch out for God’s wrath 🙁
Posted by Tigger96 on January 9, 2012 at 10:55
Wow…. People are so perverted and need Jesus… That’s all i’m gonna say…
Posted by TheMouseLover on July 5, 2012 at 21:58
That sentence just made my day 🙂 reading the comments on youtube or a pic on facebook really makes you realize how perverted a lot of people r 🙁 it’s really sad. So many people use the oppostite sex just for… well… sex! It’s disgusting
Posted by on January 23, 2012 at 13:53
Honestly god want us to embrace our sexuality (possibly till marriage) we are sexual creatures. Get over yourself, you too, hisprincess24.
Posted by hisprincess24 on January 14, 2012 at 14:29
Amen to that!
Posted by Hannah Phillips on January 9, 2012 at 09:53
that is awful that they would put the site to go
Posted by HRill on January 9, 2012 at 09:46
Thank You Nicole for all of your hard work!
If you want to read a magazine like Cosmo, I say go for it – totally your decision. What I am NOT okay with is bringing my kids to the grocery store to buy a gallon of milk and having Cosmo right smack dab in their face. Our local Lucky Supermarket has Cosmo front and center at the checkout, right at my 8 year old girl’s eye level. Just last month, my daughter learned about ’100 Best Sex Tips of the Year’ and ‘The Fierce Sex Every Couple Must Try’ and ‘When He Shouldnt See You Naked’ and ‘Sh*t My Guy Says’. She has to try very hard NOT to look, as she now reads and understands that the cover alone expresses many sensitive topics that are developmentally inapproriate and can be damaging to a child her age. At least we have the choice to turn off the t.v. at home… I guess we have the choice of where to shop too, but I hope that Cosmo will be censored at the grocery stores very soon. No self respecting parent with young children would ever justify this garbage being shown to their kids.