A Content Analysis of Ideal(ized) Masculin(ity)’s Image in Men’s Magazines (A Sample of Men’s Health-FHM-Esquire-GQ Turkey)

Year 2013, Issue: 20, 140 - 164, 01.12.2013

İlker Erdoğan

Abstract

In this study, in the context of masculinity and men, a content analysis of ideal(ized) masculin(ity)’s image in men’s magazines has been done, and men’s magazines have been examined for messages regarding to masculinity and men related to bodily appearance by categorized the content of a sample of men’s magazines. Representations of masculinity and male were the focus of content analysis, and the main theme was masculin(ity)’s image. June, July and August issues (published between May 2013 and September 2013) of four different men’s magazines -Men’s Health, FHM (For Him Magazine), Esquire, GQ (Gentlemen’s Quarterly) Turkish editions- have been selected for content analysis. In analysis, a purposive sampling approach has been adopted and each publication has been determined by three main criteria which are genre of magazine, popularity and gender of readership. A sample of men’s magazines are men’s (lifestyle) magazines that was defined as popular magazines concerned with leisure, fashion, culture, health, sport and fitness particularly and that had an male target audience. The unit of content analysis consisted of the entire magazine, from front cover to back cover, including all written texts and advertisements. Men’s magazines have been analyzed in their entirety in order to give provide an overall understanding of how masculinity and men were being presented within each different men’s magazine. Systematic comparison of the contents of the written text and advertisement included in these four men’s magazines revealed that idealized masculin(ity)’s image offered to male readers is more lean, muscular and well groomed, and that men’s magazines conformed to idealized masculin(ity)’s image that designates particular men’s images

Keywords

Men’s Magazines, Ideal, Masculinity, Men, Image, Content Analysis

Erkek Dergilerinde (Men’s Health-FHM-Esquire-GQ Türkiye Örneğinde) İdeal(leştirilen) Erkek(lik) İmajının İçerik Çözümlemesi

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, erkeklik ve erkekler bağlamında, erkek dergilerinde ideal(leştirilen) erkek(lik) imajının içerik çözümlemesi yapılmış ve bedensel görünümle ilgili olarak erkekliğe ve erkeklere ilişkin mesajları ortaya koyabilmek için örneklemi oluşturan dergilerin içeriği kategorileştirilerek incelenmiştir. İçerik çözümlemesinin odak noktasında, erkeklik ve erkek temsilleri yer almış, erkek(lik) imajı ise ana temayı oluşturmuştur. İçerik çözümlemesi için dört farklı erkek dergisinin -Men’s Health, FHM (For Him Magazine),Esquire, GQ (Gentlemen’s Quarterly) Türkiye baskılarıHaziran, Temmuz ve Ağustos sayıları (Mayıs 2013 ve Eylül 2013 tarihleri arasında yayımlanan) seçilmiştir. Çözümlemede, amaca yönelik örnekleme yaklaşımı benimsenmiş ve örneklemde yer alan dergiler, dergi türü, popülerlik ve okurların toplumsal cinsiyeti olmak üzere üç ana kriter dikkate alınarak belirlenmiştir. Örneklemde yer alan dergiler, özellikle boş zaman, moda, kültür, sağlık, spor ve formda olma ile ilgili popüler dergiler olarak tanımlanan ve hedef izler kitlesini erkeklerin oluşturduğu erkek (yaşam biçimi) dergileridir. Tüm yazılı metinler ve reklamlar dahil olmak üzere ön kapaktan arka kapağa kadar derginin tüm sayfaları, içerik çözümlemesinin araştırma birimini oluşturmuştur. Farklı erkek dergilerinde, erkekliğin ve erkeklerin nasıl sunulduğunu tüm yönleriyle anlayabilme olanağı sağladığı için erkek dergilerinin tüm sayfaları çözümlenmiştir. Bu dört erkek dergisinde yer alan yazılı metin ve reklam içeriklerinin sistematik olarak karşılaştırılması, erkek okurlara sunulan idealleştirilmiş erkek(lik) imajının, daha zayıf/ince, kaslı ve iyi giyimli/bakımlı olduğunu ve erkek dergilerinin, erkeklerin kendi imajlarını belirleyen ya da tanımlayan idealleştirilmiş erkek(lik) imajı ile uyumlu olduğunu ortaya koymuştur

Keywords

Erkek Dergileri, İdeal, Erkeklik, Erkek(ler), İmaj, İçerik Çözümlemesi

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