Digital Commons Network^™

The Sexy Issue: Visual Expressions Of Heteronormativity And Gender Identities In Cosmopolitan Magazine, Michael J. Saraceno, Rachel B. Tambling

The Qualitative Report

The current study used a qualitative image analysis to explore observed interactional behaviors communicated through images printed in Cosmopolitan magazine during the calendar year of 2009 as a means to infer social values . Two general inquiries were used to guide the manner with which behavior was observed: is a heteronormative bias present and what values regarding the expressions of sexual orientation and gender identities can be inferred from these images. The sample consisted of 722 individual images depicting groups of two or more persons. Images were coded for group gender composition, activities engaged in, and physical touch . Results …