Body image in Egyptian magazine covers: A visual and textual content analysis

Research Objectives:
This study aims to answer the main question of how magazine covers depict body image visually and verbally. In order to answer this question some subquestions are answered:
RQ1: What is the visual content of the magazine covers concerning body image?
RQ2: What is the textual content of the magazine covers concerning body image?


Conclusion:
The most important findings of this paper are that men and women are depicted differently visually and textually. Different themes are connotated to men and women. Different descriptions whether positive or negative are given to men and women as well. This paper has answered the three of the analysis suggested by Mueller. The first level which is the surface structure analysis was analyzed through an in-depth analysis of the objects and the persons in the magazine cover. The detailed structure analysis that includes symbols and stereotypes is discussed here. While the stereotypes of men are the strong and unbeatable, women are more stereotyped as weak and fragile. The importance of the looks of women on the analyzed magazine covers such as their makeup, their hair, their skin and dresses are very contrasting to men`s body image. Men are depicted in the analyzed magazine covers in relaxed clothes and less fake settings.
When comparing my results to previous literature, I see similarities and little differences. The most relevant similarities are that women are depicted differently than men on magazine covers. The stereotypical women: the thin, the middle-aged who shows off some skin and a smile is existent in both previous literature and in this paper.