My freshman year of college, I would say was of the epic variety. That spring break my group of friends went to stay at one of our friends' time share in Killington, Vermont.
The car I went up in featured: my friend, his girlfriend at the time riding shotgun, and me and another friend in the backseat. At some point during this ride, my friend's girlfriend in the front seat began reading a copy of Cosmo out loud to the car.
The backseat constituency did not take kindly to this. We didn't and don't care for Cosmo. We don't need to hear "7 ways to please your man" or take dumb, simplistic, multiple choice quizzes to tell us how sensitive we are or hear what shade of lipstick is in this season. We were quite vociferous in our objections, but she continued reading out loud until we reached a rest stop. This was when my friend and fellow backseater decided to get revenge. I should mention that this particular friend is the type to relish vengeance. So with a Cheshire cat smile he purchased a Hustler, which he proceeded to read out loud as soon as we got back in the car. This caused raucous laughter from the backseat constituency as the woman person in the front seat recoiled with disgust and desperately tried to cover her ears.
It's clear that the woman person in the front seat was offended by Hustler and found it obscene, but we of the backseat constituency found Cosmo to be offensive and obscene. Look, I admit that Hustler doesn't represent women realistically, but neither does Cosmo. And Cosmo presents a distorted representation of men in addition to a distorted representation of women.
Cosmo lies to women. It lies to women about men and lies to women about women. Hustler lies too, but we're in on the lie. We know that Kara the centerfold isn't really our friend because she isn't really a real person. Hustler lies, but at least it's honest about lying. Cosmo sells its lies as truth.
While Hustler fetishizes women (or perhaps just certain aspects), Cosmo fetishizes makeup and appearance. Cosmo sells women on their own lack of self worth and/or negative body issues. Hustler just lies to guys so they can ... well, i can't think of an interesting way of phrasing it that isn't too crude at the moment.
Both are selling smut, but Cosmo dresses it up as something more.
Which is more obscene, Hustler or Cosmo?
nprospect
Comments (23)
I enjoy Cosmo. I wouldn't read it to any guy.
I've never read Hustler, particularly because if my mom came into my room and saw a Cosmo, she'd be fine, but if she saw a Hustler, she'd have some questions. Lol.But it's whatever. Women know realistically that every man isn't pleased by the exact same technique, and every black woman doesn't look amazing in deep purple eyeshadow. We get it. well..most of us.Cosmo is an obscenity in itself. I hate that magazine. Hustler doesn't try to be something it's not unlike Cosmo. I am not a fan of Hustler but at least it doesn't make me gag. There is no better mag than Maxim but that's my opinion.
I think both can be obscene depending on which angle you look at it from.
I don't care for either one of them actually.
The thing is that magazines like Hustler and Maxim are hilarious. Cosmo has it's moments but when you read through it, it's like wtf am I reading? or that's not true at all? and then I get angry and throw it across the room.
One of my friends was reading a Cosmo out loud to me and my friends and one of the letters sent to Cosmo by a reader was asking how she could make her boyfriend's spunk taste better.
Which is pretty fucking gross.
But it was only talked about. In Cosmo, sex is only talked about.
In Hustler, sex is shown.
Judging from the covers shown in the article, Cosmo looks more obscene. Almost everything on the cover is about sex. Dirty sex even. On the Hustler cover, there's still sex, but there's a political topic, a musical topic, and a midget rodeo. But if you were to look inside though, you would clearly see that it's more obscene.
So, going by cover, Cosmo. Going by inside content, Hustler.
I would have to say Cosmo, cuz it's just wrong in some of the things it prints...at least Hustler is honest about what's in it. :p
I love cosmo! Never picked up a Hustler, but neither really offend me.
I hate cosmo except for the embarrassing stories. They're kinda funny.
I've never read Hustler. But I'm sure it's better.
hustler by far!
I wouldn't give a sack of horse doo for either one of them.
I would never say anything bad about Cosmo, as I'm an avid reader and have had a subscription for over two years!
Hustler is porn, and not even "Grade A" porn from what I understand.
what the fuck... who cares? hustler looks MUCH better and more like something i'd actually buy and keep instead of throwing it and manuring my garden with the contents of that cosmo rag. i can't believe women even read that stuff. makes you really wonder what happened to the 50 or so years of women's rights.
i've grown disgusted by the messages promulgated in cosmo, but i'd still say hustler is more obscene.
I'm not sure about hustler..never picked one up
but cosmo is definitely poison for the mind..don't read it.
Maxim would be the compromise (or mediator) between the two. It has sexy photos and interesting activities for younger people.
I think Hustler is more obscene.
Cosmo is the kind of trash you read on the can
Cosmo is AWFUL. I remember my first time reading it. I'm not that sheltered and naive, but I really felt uncomfortable reading it.
Then again, this is coming from an uber-feminist, women's empowerment loving girl, so I may be a bit biased.
I think you should get on your knees and kiss cosmo's feet for the sex tricks it teaches, and if you got a yearly subscription maybe you'd think differently.
Cosmo is just a racier, slightly shallower version of glamour, wich is a great magazine.
But most girl's (and I do mean GIRLS 15-25) read it to figure out how to have good sex. That's why it's always the article with bold bright words on the cover, and we alllllways look for it.
I read cosmo monthly. But I dont ever use the stuff. If its a new [sex] position maybe ;)
I have a subscription to cosmo (going on like three years now..haha) but I don't pay attention to half the bullshit they say. I don't care who you are, I'm not going to massage your gooch with my knuckles. That's just weird.
I like the makeup tips and whatever but some of the sex stuff is just..odd. This month: Pudding is the new whipped cream. Wtf cosmo.