Dear Liz,

Thank you for writing to GLAMOUR with your critique of the image of women you feel is propagated by our magazine.  As always, we appreciate hearing from our readers, and we have forwarded your comments to our senior editors.

We both appreciate and share your concern about the importance of women being shown in a positive and empowering way by the media.  GLAMOUR’s audience is composed primarily of college-educated women between the ages of 18 and 35.  Our editorial goal is to focus on matters of interest to our readers and to provide them with information on issues ranging from medicine and politics to fashion, beauty, and relationships.  While we do show beauty and fashion products, we do try to emphasize positive self-images for all women.  We offer advice to women of all sizes, shapes, and complexions.

GLAMOUR is not just a fashion magazine.  We have won numerous awards for our medical coverage and have been in the forefront of the magazine industry in our promotion of women’s rights.  Our health and nutrition coverage reflects our concern for women’s overall good health.  Rather than featuring fad diets or dangerous, quick-fix exercises, GLAMOUR encourages sensible eating and exercise habits.

Editorially, GLAMOUR had always tried not only to emphasize women’s accomplishments, but also to feature realistic models.  We show models who are healthy and fir, but not overly thin or emaciated-looking: we have never subscribed to the “waif” look or heroin chic.  Since our March 1997 article “Plus-Size Fitness” with model Emme, we’ve tried to run more on plus sizes, particularly in our Fashion That Fits section.  We have used plus-size models including Emme and Kate Dillon in our model shoots.  Dillon recently appeared in “The Great Kate Weight Debate” in February’s issue, which featured a sidebar “Sagging Self-Image: Three ways to Escape from the I-Hate-My-Body Cult.”  We hope that such articles will encourage readers to develop realistic views of their bodies.

Thank you for taking the time to write and express your feelings.

Sincerely,

Christine Zalocha

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