I can't speak for the US but some of the top 'mens' magazines in the UK are disgraceful. FHM, Loaded, Nuts, et al.
You mention how the top womens magazines "reinforce an incredibly old fashioned female stereotype", well these mens magazines are arguably worse considering the primary content is boobs, toilet humour and football.
> I can't speak for the US but some of the top 'mens' magazines in the UK are disgraceful. FHM, Loaded, Nuts...
Loaded and Nuts are 'lad mags' - 15 to 25. They're not for grown up men.
The biggest, and by far the most profitable Man's Magazine is Men's health. It has a little tech, lots of workout/fitness stuff, a lot of diet stuff, and some fashion.
(not sure if FHM still exists so can't comment there)
They are not "disgraceful" anymore than anything else on the shelves is, You have magazines aimed at girls in their early teens discussing sexual techniques, you have magazines telling women if they are not a size 0 then nothing they do matters, you have magazines telling women that if they are not devastatingly good in bed their partners will cheat on them, you have magazines telling women their entire value lies in what they look/smell like and dress in.
If anything is disgraceful those are disgraceful, by comparison "look at the tits on that" magazines are not, hell if you measured the body shape of the women in the "disgraceful" mags compared to Cosmo I wonder which one would have the most realistic average body type.
Pornography is legal and they are not (under most definitions) even pornography and there is nothing wrong with sexual urges or wanting to see the naked human form.
You mention how the top womens magazines "reinforce an incredibly old fashioned female stereotype", well these mens magazines are arguably worse considering the primary content is boobs, toilet humour and football.