The late fashion icon Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel once said, “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”
Our culture is hostile to righteous, confident, strong women today. The hypersexualized, dominant female is the archetype found in media and entertainment. Female victimhood is celebrated and independence is shunned. Media outlets -- especially women’s magazines -- shy away from offering women alternative choices.
Nevertheless, one magazine is trying to fill the void.
Enter Verily Magazine.
Verily Magazine’s tagline reads, “Less of who you should be, more of who you are.” It strives to be a magazine that caters to all women -- whether they are single, newly married, or young mothers. Its content encourages women to desire a stable marriage and family if they choose. Its content also offers tips on achieving a healthy balance between work and life while looking and feeling confident. Ideally, it aims to contrast magazines “whose tones can be saccharine sweet, hypersexual, or aggressive.”
The magazine boasts the following sections: Lifestyle, Relationships, Culture, and Style.
Verily Magazine co-founder and Style Editor Janet Sahm says the magazine departs from conventional magazines by uplifting -- not bringing down -- women.
Sahm wrote in an email, “Verily seeks to uplift every woman who flips through its pages by showcasing fresh images and strong content that celebrates the best of who they are. By featuring fashion that is worthy of the woman, relationship advice that goes beyond sex-tips, and thoughtful culture and lifestyle journalism, we’re creating a space to inspire women to live the happy, healthy, integrated lives they want to lead.”
She added, “Women want more when it comes to what they read and look to for inspiration. Even if they are buying typical fashion magazines off the newsstands, they’re reading them with a grain of salt.”
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Women, Sahm added, want to feel comfortable in their skin. Most women’s magazines embrace the superficial and discourage the natural. Verily seeks to capture natural beauty.
“Something isn’t quite right when it comes to the media’s portrayal of what is deemed beautiful, successful, and desirable for women. A recent study indicates that 75% of young women feel worse about themselves after 3 minutes of reading a fashion magazine,” added Sahm.
Every woman is unique with her own signature qualities. Femininity is an eternal trait we should proudly flaunt. It allows us to be nurturing, considerate of others, and appreciative of the opposite sex. The fairer sex should not shy away from being different. What is wrong with being feminine, let alone having the freedom to choose one’s own destiny? Should women be motivated by malice towards “patriarchy”? No! Women should be afforded the choice to pursue a career, get married, bear children -- any path that leads to a fulfilling life.
Today, women are told to champion “reproductive rights,” be sexually liberated, and subscribe to groupthink. Mainstream women’s groups preach the gospel of choice but ostracize women who choose to reject big government and victimhood.
Alternatively, Freedom Feminism by Christina Hoff Sommers brilliantly communicates the importance of female pursuit of happiness absent in the mainstream women’s movement. It says “women are free to employ their equal status to pursue happiness in their own distinctive ways, and it holds the key to a feminist renaissance.” Like “freedom feminism,” Verily encourages women to pursue happiness in their own right.
More women are seeking alternative outlets like Verily Magazine to feel inspired and empowered. Why pay for a magazine that leaves one feeling hopeless or insignificant? Don’t -- divorce yourself from the status quo and embrace this alternative.
With its beautiful design, eye-catching cover, and refreshing content, Verily Magazine is an essential must-have for all women. I look forward to reading Verily and hope other women join me in doing so.
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