University of Queensland, Australia

Annika W Onken

AUST 6120 Nation & Culture

05/06/2009

The Construction of Feminity in The Australian Women′s

Weekly of 1962, 1982 and 2009

Table of Contents

1

INTRODUCTION 3

2

THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN′S WEEKLY 1962 3

2.1

THE DOMESTIC SPHERE 3

2.2

BEAUTY AND THE BODY 4

2.3

PROGRESSION OF THE SELF 6

3

THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN′S WEEKLY 1982 7

3.1

THE DOMESTIC SPHERE 7

3.2

BEAUTY AND THE BODY 8

3.3

PROGRESSION OF THE SELF 9

4

THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN′S WEEKLY 2009 11

4.1

THE DOMESTIC SPHERE 11

4.2

BEAUTY AND THE BODY 12

4.3

PROGRESSION OF THE SELF 13

5

CONCLUSION 15

6

WORKS CITED 17

2

1 Introduction

The first edition of the magazine The Australian Women′s Weekly was published in

1933 and continues its publications till today. Therefore the magazine offers a long history of

being, also advertising, medium for ideas, opinions and reflections about feminity. The

subject matter and advertisement the magazine addresses its readers with constitutes the fields

of interest those women might be attracted towards. At the same time it excludes certain fields

of female interest.

In this research essay I will examine how feminity is constructed in The Australian

Women′s Weekly from three different time periods

by having a closer look at the fields of

`The Domestic Sphere′, `Beauty and the Body′, and `Progression of the Self′. I will have a

look at the construction of the domestic sphere portrayed as being an inherent responsibility

and centre of female existence. Are broader political and social topics addressed; and in what

way? How is women′s position in society understood? Furthermore, I will ask how the

depicted ideal feminity is linked to body looks and sexuality. In a third step I will examine the

emphasis put on inspiration as being an integral part of feminity. What functions are served

by the printing of celebrity life stories, the responses of `agony aunts′ and romantic fiction?

The investigation of editions from 1962, 1982 and 2009 will focus on whether and

how ideologies of feminity have changed during the decades and if there can be detected

certain recurring ideological fragments. Does the representation of maternity and

Australianess evolve during the decades? In what way do these magazines adjust to changing

reader′s needs? Which female ideologies are we facing today?

2 The Australian Women′s Weekly 1962

2.1 The Domestic Sphere

The edition seems to support the idea that "women′s magazines shift the emphasis into

the ideology of the family, maternity and domesticity" (Ballaster et al. 144). The singer

Lionel Long is pictured with a nameless woman, only titled "his Bride-to-be", who looks up

to him in an admirable manner. The female reader in her role as male serving mother, nurturer

and consumer is addressed by a multitude of advertisements for grocery and domestic

commodities offering a "quick way to serve your family" and giving "every meal man

3

appeal" (WW 1962 14, 36). Women can `cook′ themselves into the heart of men and, what is

more, women will even fall in love when given the newest cooking gear: "Using [it] is the

way to his heart...Giving it is the way to hers!" (WW 1962 64). The female reader is

encouraged to buy a new sewing machine, new lamps, a better fridge, revolutionary furniture

or floor coverings and learns about architecture and gardening (WW 1962 45, 73, 22, 24, 57,

40, 59).

However, the magazine contains material which presents women as being exploring

travellers, active members of social life and financially independent. Four sisters travel

around the world working as nurses in Australia, England and Pakistan (WW 1962 3).

Women make their own living as miners, performing male tasks under rough conditions "with

no male assistance" (WW 1962 8). Female readers are informed about recent art productions,

public events such as The America′s Cup and encouraged to "[s]kipper your own [Cruiser] on

a water wonderland holiday" which is "easier than driving a car" (WW 1962 4, 5, 54, 31). All

these enjoyable `worldly′ topics avoid, however, social or political problems such as for

example the participation of Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War in that year.

On the other hand, women are presented as being aware of the position and role that

family and patriarchal society expects them to fulfil. An employed woman who only has male

colleagues is naturally put in the position of cleaning up after a meeting. Although

complaining about this "apparently nothing happens ­ except that the men help dry-up! (WW

1962 10). Two cartoons focus on the unappreciative position of women as attendants in her

own family. The first shows a husband with his mate who sit down at a bountiful table in the

middle of nowhere after a `male′ day out in the nature. All this effort looks grotesque but

luxurious in its circumstance. He says to his wife:" Next time don′t insist on coming along!"

(WW 1962 12) while at the same time getting ready to start on the food. Men will not in all

circumstances appreciate the work that women confer upon themselves. The second cartoon

pictures a woman showing her friend the kids′ room with the words:" They won′t pick up

their things after them...And I won′t pick up their things after them. So what do you do?"

(WW 1962 12). A certain rebellious element concerning her role related duties is conveyed.

2.2 Beauty and the Body

An advertisement for hairspray proclaims "a modern Cinderella′s hair style with regal

elegance" (WW 1962 6). The term `Cinderella′ suggests that woman is on the one hand a

"natural beauty" (WW 1962 6) who has a good heart and is a busy worker in the household

4