“Good girls go to heaven.
Bad girls go everywhere.”
– Helen Gurley Brown
One of the most successful and provocative magazine editors
ever, Helen Gurley Brown went from a small-town girl to becoming the
editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years.
 |
| timesunion.com |
She had to start working very early in life due to her
father dying when she was 10, and her sister getting polio shortly thereafter. She began as a secretary at an advertising
agency until her employer recognized her writing skills and hired her on as a
copywriter. She was one of the only
women in the business and was generally disregarded by the men.
Brown went on to publish a book in 1962 entitled Sex and the
Single Girl in 1962. The book encouraged
women to become financially independent and sexually liberated. Brown wanted them to experience pleasure in
sex and work on their own terms. The
book went on to influence shows such as Sex and the City and Mad Men.
 |
| newyorker.com |
In 1965, she became editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan. The magazine was dying and so Hearst
Publishing decided to go with Brown because she could bring a fresh focus to
the magazine. She brought forth a new
direction of women’s sexual freedom and was a great advocate for the sexual revolution. Brown targeted women 18-34 who wanted to
achieve on their own. She believed that
women should have it all. Some people
saw her ideas as objectifying women, but she saw it more as a way of liberating
women. Either way, Cosmopolitan quickly
turned around to have a 100% sell-through (businessoffashion.com).
 |
| timesunion.com |
Cosmopolitan
continues to thrive today, including articles on relationships, sex, health,
careers, self-improvement, and fashion.
No comments:
Post a Comment