Long Island Woman Publication Disses Women

I picked up a free copy of Long Island Woman the other day from my local library. There was a picture of Patty Duke on the cover of the September issue. You may have seen it in your local library or on the window ledge of your local Chinese restaurant. I urge you to grab a copy and look through it sometime. I'm interested in your opinion as one woman to another. Did you find it as offensive as I did? Am I overreacting? Please forgive me as I rant on a bit about this...

For one thing most of the articles are about self improvement - but only in a physical way. Here are some articles and advertisements you will find in the September issue:

"Fall Into Shape " - an article by a male doctor outlining all your options for cosmetic surgery
"The Mommy Makeover" - an advertisement. Here is the first line: "Children change everything but that doesn't have to include your figure." (incidentally there is a comma incorrectly placed after the word "but")
"Why a Mommy Makeover?" is an advice column written by another male doctor.
"Breast Surgery Combined With Tummy Tuck and/or Liposuction" is another "Good Advice" column, but this time it is written by a female doctor.
Other advertisers include: The Women's Imaging Center, Botox Clinics, Lumiere hair removal, laser medicine and dermatology doctors, weight loss centers, plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, medi spas that offer an underarm laser hair package, bikini laser package, Botox, Evolence, Perlane, Restylane, Juvederm, Permanent Fillers and Chemical Peels. The Naturapathic Solutions company can help you "Get Your "Sexy" Back!" by offering relief from hot flashes, mood swings, low libido and vaginal dryness, fatigue, weight gain, hair loss and poor concentration.

More Good Advice columns follow with headlines like:
"Not All Facelifts Are Created Equal: Understanding Different Types of Lifts" - authored by another male MD
"Consider This When Choosing Your Cosmetic Dentist"
"Weight Loss: A New Way to Achieve Your Goal"
"Resolving Stress to Heal your Body & your Life!"
"Know Your Options When Considering Divorce"
"Do You Need to Avoid Probate?" an empty article that ends with the author's phone number and firm name. Yes, the author is an attorney looking for business.

There is a two page article about handbags and all the frivolous non-essentials that we women need to carry in them. Here are some quotes from the article which is actually a two page advertisement for cosmetics to carry in the handbag:

"Adding a little more blush on your cheeks will also make you look awake."
"Ditching the Blackberry in favor of evening cocktails is a mid-week must for busy girls about town."
"Date night hair and flat hair just plain don't mix."
"If you decide to break out the blow dryer during a weekend, make sure it is a ceramic dryer which cuts down on frizz as well as drying time"

The feature story about Patty Duke focuses on her abusive lifestyle, her multiple unhappy marriages, sexual molestations, her stay in a mental institution and other negative elements in her life like her battle with weight gain. If only Patty Duke had read the Long Island Woman during her life. She would have solved all of her problems. She would have had an array of spas and cosmetic doctors to change her look and her mood. The divorce lawyer could have handled all the divorces and the probate lawyer would have written her will correctly to ensure the ex-husbands wouldn't be arguing about her assets after she is gone.

It's no wonder women today have self image issues. My question is, why are libraries - promoters of education and the printed word - allowing rags like Long Island Woman to be displayed at the entrances and exits of their buildings? As far as I can tell the Long Island Woman is just a big advertisement for insecure women who probably sit with a mirror beside them as they read the advice columns for liposuction and face lifts. I found this publication insulting to my intelligence and disrespectful to women.

The message of Long Island Woman is: "You aren't good enough as you are. Make yourself beautiful, lose weight, tighten your skin to hide your age (because getting older is a bad thing in America) and you will be happier and fulfilled in life. You just have to look like Barbie to be happy.

My message to the editors of Long Island Woman is: I'm going to burn your rag publication in my fireplace and ask my library to remove it from their building. The Chinese restaurant can use it to line the cardboard box that they put the food in. There's always a greasy leak at the bottom of the box when I get the wonton soup delivered.