Have you ever been stuck in a hole with nothing to read ? I was…. When I came across a recent issue of Women’s Era. The last time I saw the magazine was about eight years ago.
Very little has changed.
None of the thirty ways to thrill your partner in bed or find your man’s hidden pleasure spots and the like for Women’s Era. Go to the Cosmopolitans of the world for such gyan.
What Women’s Era specializes in are “relationships”. Their home-page has Articles on Relationships covering Man, Woman, Child, Husband, Spouse, In-laws, Friends, Office Mates, Buddies, Neighbours, Extramarital (ohmygawd !!) and More. (What more can possibly be there ?)
Typically, their articles read : Thirty ways to please our mother-in-law (not sexually, you pervert). Be your husband’s friend. Tips on dating.
The themes have remained the same over the years.
The tone of the articles also is more or less the same as before; sermonizing, patronizing. Unapologetically regressive. And mundane.
A sample : a self-proclaimed expert (Mr. Amit someone) on dating writes
“On a date” :
– Look Good
– Feel Good
– Be Good
Be good ? Do people actually say BE good in these days of kaanta lagaa and Sex and the City ?!
To be fair to WE, I bet they are feeling the pressures from the market. So Mr. Dating hastens to add : Also be sure to carry your own condoms. Do not wait for the man to take the initiavtive. Of course, he quickly glosses over this bit and hurries on to his next gem. Act modestly at all times.
To use an old favourite of mine, it is not an adult-adult transaction at all (as in case of general interest magazines and even other women’s magazines such as Femina). The relationship is almost parent-child, full of homilies, where the reader is a docile child who laps up such advice and does not mind being spoken to.
If Femina targets the Woman of Substance, who does Women’s Era cater to ? The Woman of Domesticity?!! Where else would you find a serial story on the exploits of Kunti Bai, a maid-servant ?
I am intrigued : Who is the real Indian woman ? And what does she read ?
Femina ? Which is a wannabe-Cosmo / Elle but not quite in that range.
Cosmo ? I am not even sure how much of Cosmo readership comprises women (remember Fair and Lovely, anyone?)
Or is it Women’s Era ?
There is obviously a huge market for this kind of thing. Look at IRS data over the last few years. While most magazines have had a decline in readership (overall 10%), Women’s Era has managed to grow its readership base by 4% (the only other magazines which have gained readers are The Week and Outlook)
India laps up Women’s Era. Kyonki Saas Bhi Its-too-long. Schools for girls of “marriagable age”.
Then, what is progress all about ?
For more on Women’s Era, read V.S. Naipaul in India, a Million Mutinies Now.