Then and Now: Women's Roles in "McCall's Magazine" in 1964 and 1974

A content analysis of women's roles in "McCalls Magazine" in 1964 and 1974 revealed two profiles of a publication that has been dispensing advice and entertainment for wives and mothers since 1876. The recent women's movement first attracted media coverage around 1968, and a study of "McCalls" before and after this time showed significant changes. Today's "McCalls" has extrapolated from "women's lib" those ideas it feels are useful to a reader of a magazine for suburban women without betraying a loyal readership that was nurtured on more traditional fare. The content analysis indicated significant decreases from 1964 to 1974 in the number of items that appealed to parenthood or to homemaking, encouraged the embellishment of the home, and appealed to fashion or promoted a youthful appearance as a goal. There were significant increases in items that showed parents sharing responsibility for their children, addressed emotional problems and maladjustments, promoted leisure, and appealed to interests outside the home. (MKM)