Men's Health: Language and Representation

1) Write an analysis of the media language choices on the cover of Men's Health - e.g. colour scheme, typography, language, photographic codes etc.
The colour scheme of this magazine is mainly black and blue which is usually regarded as more of a masculine colour. One of the cover lines for this magazine is, 'Blast body fat', the violent verb 'blast' further reinforces how this could be seen as a masculine magazine as men are usually represented to be dominant and full of strength. Another word used on a cover line is 'demolish' which shows how this magazine is aimed at men because of all of these masculine references. In terms of the central image, Men's Health purposely use a very muscular male figure as a way to show the readers what they should be aspiring towards. Although Vin Diesel is a worldwide celebrity he is shown here to be wearing casual clothing, meaning Men's Health readers are just normal people (aspirers).

2) Identify three specific aspects/conventions/important points (e.g. cover lines, colour scheme, use of text, image etc.) from each page of the CSP that you could refer to in a future exam. Explain why that particular aspect of the CSP is important - think about connotations, representations, audience pleasures, reception theory etc.

Front cover: 
The colour scheme of this magazine is mainly black and blue which is usually regarded as more of a masculine colour. One of the cover lines for this magazine is, 'Blast body fat', the violent verb 'blast' further reinforces how this could be seen as a masculine magazine as men are usually represented to be dominant and full of strength. Another word used on a cover line is 'demolish' which shows how this magazine is aimed at men because of all of these masculine references. In terms of the central image, Men's Health purposely use a very muscular male figure as a way to show the readers what they should be aspiring towards. Although Vin Diesel is a worldwide celebrity he is shown here to be wearing casual clothing, meaning Men's Health readers are just normal people (aspirers).

Editor's Letter and contents page:
Throughout the editors letter there is a lot of contemporary language used, suggesting that Men's Health is a very well established magazine made by well educated people who know how to speak in an articulated way. However Men's Health does still appeal to a younger audience. In addition I believe this section is effective at engaging with the audience as it pushes them to strive for fitness. The editors letter also features questions to the reader making it even easier for them to engage with the magazine so they can feel even more relaxed and entitled to read it.

Feature - True Grit - 'The Marathon Man': This section offers many inspirational messages to the reader, as it leads them to believe they can achieve anything they put their mind to


3) Apply narrative theories to Men's Health - Todorov's equilibrium, Propp's character types, Barthes' action or enigma codes.

In this magazine cover Vin Diesel is represented to be the hero-protagonist and to be seen as the ideal male figure. The antagonist in this could be seen as the cover line, 'slay winter blues' as this problem of mental health is very dangerous to many people and must therefore be slain. In terms of Hall's reception theory I believe that the hegemonic reading is that this magazine is and should be seen as a way to promote a healthy lifestyle and influence men to improve their mental and physical health to be the image of an ideal masculine man. However the counter-hegemonic reading of this could be that it is full of toxic masculinity as all it talks about is working out to become a powerful and dominant man. It could also be said that Men's Health are trying to make men succumb to societal expectations, instead of being independent. Barthes action and enigma codes is also prominent in this magazine cover because of the use of words like, 'slay' 'demolish' and 'blast' as they are all very violent words which are then attached to a very masculine man.


4) Read the cover lines and the Editor's Letter. Does Men's Health offer a cure for male insecurities or does it create male insecurity?
I believe that Men's Health offers a cure for male insecurities as it clearly wants to get rid of the mental health problems men face but are too insecure to bring to light. An example of this is 'Slay Winter Blues' as it is reinforcing the idea of battling and defeating mental health problems like depression and anxiety which a lot of the time can turn into suicidal thoughts, which MH is clearly trying to prevent. This is done as in society men are often nervous to open up about their mental state as they believe it may make them less masculine, therefore MH is trying to say that it is okay to show your true feelings as we all go through it.

5) How does the 'Marathon Man' feature page offer an example of Steve Neale's genre theory concerning 'repetition and difference'? 
I believe Steve Neale's genre theory concerning repetition and difference can be applied to the Marathon Man feature page as this idea of keeping fit and healthy is constantly repeated to the reader in order for it cement in place in their head so they will have this image of success in their head. On the other hand, there is use of difference as we see how instead of having a young fit male figure for this feature they instead use an old man who is still trying to better himself which will hopefully inspire the readers to get out and become healthier versions of themselves.


Representations

We have already covered many relevant theories in our work on Advertising and Marketing (for example, David Gauntlett's writing on Media, Gender and Identity). We now need to apply these theories and ideas to Men's Health and specifically the three pages from the Jan/Feb 2017 issue identified as our Close-Study Product.

Representations: applying theory

1) How can Gauntlett's ideas on masculinity, gender and identity be applied to the Men's Health CSP we have analysed?
David Gauntlett belief is that 'the masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn self reliance and emotional silence have been shaken by a new emphasis on men's emotions, need for advice and the problems of masculinity. This links to the Men's Health magazine as we see the cover line 'Slay Winter Blues'. This cover line is done to raise awareness for mental health amongst men as a lot of the time men's emotions are ignored however this is beginning to change, just as Gauntlett has stated.

2) How could van Zoonen's work on feminist and gender theory be applied to Men's Health?
Van Zoonen suggests that media reinforces sex role stereotypes, which helps to construct gender roles. She shows this by giving different examples about sex-appropriate behaviour and things like editing to change peoples appearances. In terms of the way women are represented they are shown to be submissive and powerless in comparison to men. However men are represented as powerful and masculine, which is constantly shown throughout the Men's Health magazines. For example the Men;s Health magazine features the celebrity, Vin Diesel. The central image shows him standing in a pose to make his muscles stand out more and make him look more powerful and want the audience to aspire to look like him.

3) How could bell hooks's work on 'corrosive masculinity' apply to Men's Health?
Bell Hooks commented on the destructive effect of toxic masculinity on men and women, also building on Judith Butler's theories, agreeing to the fact that gender roles are constructed and not naturally given. She also states how people are led to believe that there are unsaid rules to follow as a certain gender because of this idea of a patriarchal society.
 
Representations: academic analysis

Read these extracts from the journal article exploring the representation of masculinity in Men's Health magazine and answer the following questions:

1) Why is Men's Health defined as a 'lifestyle magazine'?
Despite its clear orientation towards health and well being, Men's Health is, according to its editors, a lifestyle magazine, and in every issue, they make it certain to show its readers from the first pages that the publication is not just limited to healthy questions but it includes more topics concerning men. The 'lifestyle' notion refers to the magazines which can be included under the general interest magazines-for-men label. This lifestyle term was conceived as a marketing strategy to grab men's attention, since the magazines, which were not lifestyle in the past, were purposely targeted this way in order to gain the interests of the male audience as consumers.

2) Why is advertising significant in helping to shape masculine identity?
Advertising is important as it preserves identities. This is evident as companies promote certain products to specific audience demographics. By including products that relate to high end fashion apparel, alcohol, food and accessories the reader sees these products and can then make parallels between how the products reflect the image of masculinity, therefore the male reader will be more inclined to purchase these products as they believe they will be able to reflect the lifestyle the magazine is showing. 

3) The article suggests that the representation of masculinity in Men's Health is not fixed or natural and is subject to constant change. What media theorists that we have studied previously can be linked to these ideas?
Gauntlett suggests how masculinity isn't in crisis, but in fact in a state of reinvention. Ideas of masculinity are leading to the encouragement of men to branch out into different aspects of life they wouldn't usually be intrigued in. This is shown through the Men's Health magazines as they cover many different aspects that are sure to interest men even if it isn't something they'd usually want to get involved in.

4) What does the article suggest Men's Health encourages its readers to be? What examples and statistics are provided to develop the idea of men as consumers?
The global market for male grooming grew by 5.7% between 1997 and 2005, showing that males are taking on  different role and beginning to care about new lifestyle aspects such as their personal appearance.

5) What representations of the male body can be found in Men's Health?
Men's Health encourages men to improve their lifestyle and health by reinforcing the idea of self-discipline in their lives. It also talks about the male body as it highlights stuff about strength, weight, age and even sexual performance. Men's Health presents an instrumental relationship to the body, represented as a machine that must be refuelled in order to perform effectively.

6) What does the article suggest regarding the objectification of men?
The male body is instrumentalized and it is objectified and exposed to the reader's gaze. As consequence, new concepts of masculinity have also been socially constructed and depicted. 'Men are increasingly and un-apologetically objectified, both in terms of erotic spectacle and as targets of advertising for products beyond cars and beer, including many items once thought to be marketed for women alone'. For a long time, women have been constructed as sexual objects for the male audience, being the focus for the public gaze in the social context.

7) What is 'metrosexuality' and how can it be applied to Men's Health?
New concepts of masculinity have been socially constructed and depicted. Metrosexuality is most often used when talking about the new depictions within men's magazines since it refers to a man who is extremely aware of his physical appearance and is devoted to it by buying cosmetic and fashion products. Metrosexuality was firstly defined by Mark Simpson in an article called "Here comes the mirror men". He offers a profile of the metrosexual male, describing him as a young man, who lives or works in urban spaces and has a high income.

8) What representation of men in Men's Health is discussed in the section 'Homogenous bodies'?
Men's Health belongs to the mainstream discourse which portrays the dominant depictions of maleness in physical terms, linking to power, strength and youth. Representations of men in the magazine can be seen through three different aspects: Physical appearance, external look (style) and his lifestyle (values). To put it more simply men are profiled as young white and middle classed, also being well built and able to be sexually attractive.

9) What are the conclusions drawn by the article with regards to the representation of masculinity in Men's Health?
Men's Health which is the best-selling publication within the men's lifestyle magazine industry, presents some similarities with other magazines concerning the representation of men, although it also has some peculiarities which make it unique and worthy as a focus of inquiry. On the one hand, it portrays different visions of masculinity (i.e. new man, new lad, metrosexual), as the rest of men's publications and that is, according to the experts, one of the reasons for the popularity of the magazines since the offer countless possibilities for contemporary men in questions of identification.

10) What is your own view of the representation of masculinity in Men's Health? Is it a positive representation that encourages men to the best they can be or is it a hypermasculine, consumer-driven representation designed to undermine men's confidence and objectify their bodies?
I believe that the representation of masculinity in Men's Health is positive as it is continuously encouraging men to maintain a healthy lifestyle psychically and mentally. It also gives you tips and information from professionals in order to make it clear how to do so making it very informative.  However it could also be seen as negative as Men's Health does also objectify the male body which is clear evidence of the male gaze as we always see the men being shown off in a somewhat sexual way.