I find it amazing how some people react to feminist issues, and their treatment of them. First of all, to Robert Zeis: Many feminists have made an attempt to criticize women’s magazines. If you don’t believe it, go to the women’s studies homepage at http://www.public.iastate.edu and look under body image. There are several pages to see how women have been trying to fight these images in women’s magazines and fashion. Particularly look at “About Face.”

Secondly, there is a problem you are overlooking. You say that SI does not objectify women any more than other magazines, then later you state it doesn’t objectify them at all. So which is it??? You know in a way it does, and there is a denial of the problem. Denial of the problem lets it still exist, and reinforces it.

Since I know that SI probably will not discontinue their swimsuit edition, they should try to improvise a little. Have the models ACTUALLY MODEL the swimsuits instead of taking them off, or wearing only half of them. If they actually did show the suits, they might actually sell a few, and make some subscribers a little happier!!! Have women of various sizes to make the magazine more realistic, because the sizes shown there are practically impossible for some women to have. It does perpetuate a stereotype.

Yes, the women in the swimsuit edition are beautiful, but many other women (that aren’t a size 2 or 3) will be just as pretty in a swimsuit. It might also be a good idea to have men model swimsuits as well; after all, it is aimed toward men. I know for sure that these are just a couple of the reasons many people have problems with the SI swimsuit edition.

So, Robert Zeis, before you make assertions about feminist ideas and philosophies, go check out the reasons and research before you make such a blatant statements.

Connie Cisco

Junior

Anthropology