Country Mouse, City Mouse

I take it back. Glamour did some good this year with their WotY choices.

BUT…the material/quotes online form the award ceremony…better stuff. They should have asked these women about how they feel about their role as a woman in their fields. I don’t know what the questions could have looked like because it’s 2am and I am waiting on a phone call. But Maya Angelou? Come on! You could have gotten SOMETHING else out of her other than reciting Phenomenal Woman for the billionth time.

Favorite quote(s):

“Girls, if a guy says something that isn’t funny…you don’t have to laugh” (Amy P.)

That some kids in the world go to bed “…without being read a bedtime story” (Jane A.)

Basically anything Angelou said.

More on this when I am in better spirits and have more sleep in me.

I have recently developed this love/hate relationship with Glamour magazine. I love the mag because it was the first I completely read (aside from Highlights at the doctor’s office of course!). It was powerful, engaging and it highlighted women and women’s issues unlike anything other fashion/beauty magazine was doing (and, I would argue, still does so). I love that it is the type of magazine that you can pick up and read at different times. If you’re looking for a quick, light read, you can read the short info-graphics/ASFs. You’ll get the same information in half the time. There’s always, disappointingly so, some sort of celebrity angle (and in recent years, it’s quickly becoming US Weekly) so that can provide a source of entertainment. And then there are the groundbreaking coverage of women’s issue, written in a way that is both informative and comfortable to a reader that otherwise would be not be comfortable with such issues.

And their Women of the Year coverage is often my favorite because it’s the one issue out of the twelve that showcases real women.

Not this year. I don’t like that Michelle Obama is one of the covergirls. Nothing personal against her, but she’s married to the President and that doesn’t make her a Woman of the Year in my book. They did the same thing with Laura Bush, I believe. I don’t doubt that she does something good and beneficial to society…but where in the news has it been shown? I believe the Women of the Year should go to women who have changed the world in the last year because of something THEY have done.

Maria Shiver? No

Stella McCartney? Love her, but I don’t get why she is a WotY

Amy Poehler? Love, love, love her too…she made us laugh but she didn’t change the world.

Glamour has spliced celebrities/big names with women who actually did something powerful, like Jane Aronson’s orphan campaign and journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling who were jailed because of their coverage of human trafficking in China. Not to mention that they have dotted coverage of other WotY or moments considered WotY-worthy among sex-talk, smoky eye lessons and how to get the best hair color for your skin. An interesting aspect of this month’s issue is the perspective on female journalists who covered some of the biggest stories of the past year. Now, THAT is what I want to read.

While I must admit, I’ve only flipped through the magazine once so far and my focus was mainly on the design and reveal of the WotY, so Glamour could redeem themselves.

But right now, glamour, glamour, glamour…get thee behind me!