Lad mags in decline

Is that what it is? Or is it an issue of censorship? I remember they once launched a magazine for women back in Australia which was supposed to be the girl’s equivalent of Playboy or something. It started off quite strong but then the censors started shifting goalposts and what was acceptable for print in a May issue became unacceptable by June. Eventually the censors had managed turn what was once basically soft porn for women into Cosmo with naughty stories, the pictures were so tame.

I was wondering if perhaps this is what’s happened to the Lads Mags, been tamed down until they’re not of any interest any more. Of course it could just be that they’re rubbish, I remember flicking through a copy of Nuts once. It was dreadful.

I feel I really should also clarify that I never bought the women’s magazine (Australian Women’s Forum- I just remembered the name of it) above. I only ever got second hand copies from my mate and I always read it with my eyes shut.

I used to read a couple of them and they used to be quite readable. Not brilliant but quite entertaining. Over the years they’ve become a parody of themselves. Viz looks like the more mature option nowadays.

I don’t think it’s censorship, no. I think it’s a combination of making bad magazines and me-tooism, where it’s increasingly difficult to tell the titles apart. And the internet, of course, which affects all magazines to some degree.