ABSTRACT
All of these are magazine cover “teasers,” hinting at the sex information within the pages. If you have ever spent even five minutes at a magazine stand then you are probably familiar with headlines like these. What you may not realize is that each one is from a magazine aimed at a heterosexual female readership. In fact, a quick perusal of magazines aimed at heterosexual men reveals few cover teaser lines about sex, although the cover models are sexy women, usually celebrities, posed and (un)dressed similarly to those on the covers of women's magazines. Sex sells, to be sure, but if you were an alien from another galaxy trying to learn something about Western cultures, you would probably conclude that sex is far more important to women. “Alien you” 242would think that Earth women do not seem to have many clothes and enjoy roaming around mostly nude. You would wonder why the men are mostly pictured fully clothed, in suits or very baggy pants and polo shirts. You would think that Earth men are interested in all kinds of things—automobiles, large televisions, electronics, sports… and a little sex. But Alien You would probably think that Earth women do little besides preen, primp, and prime themselves for the touches, words, and desires of Earth men. How do we sell with sex in this culture? Let us try to count the ways:
