Discursive Construction At Work: Representation of Masculinity in Women's Magazines of 1980s

Abstract: This article discusses the discursive construction of the ideal male subject in women's magazines published in the 1980s, when Turkey was going through a significant transformation process. In contrast to studies that analyze the representation of masculinity in men's magazines or femininity in women's magazines, this article offers a different perspective to understanding the socio-cultural context by focusing on representations of men in women's magazines. The topics directly related to men in Kadınca and Elele, monthly magazines published throughout the 1980s, were analyzed through critical discourse analysis. All issues of the magazines published between 1980 and 1990 were examined and included in the analysis. The magazines' construction of the ideal male subject involves discourse strategies that emphasize change, centralize moving away from traditional values and objectify the male body. This construction is often accompanied by the inversion of emotions and virtues. In this context, the ideal male subject in magazines represents a modern, secular and middle-class masculinity.