Feminist Respite

As a working woman I have joined the vast majority of the population with very little free time to indulge in my hobbies, interests or generally anything I would list as enjoyable. Wake, eat, work, eat, work, eat, sleep - my day goes something like this until the weekend, where I feel I need to do the sum total of nothing in order to recover. Obviously I'm not alone in this - this pattern is the norm for most working adults - but I find myself relishing any spare minutes I have to myself to find a bit of cheer in an otherwise monotonous and tiring work life.

Tuesday afternoons therefore are my cue to practically run towards the man handing out copies of Stylist magazine outside the train station. Arms outstretched and a makeup-cracking grin on my face, I clutch my copy of Stylist and eagerly await my 17.47 train so that I can start reading.

Stylist is not like many other magazines; it is an explosion of intellect, excellently written and expertly published, but even more than this it outwardly and proudly proclaims itself to be feminist. This refreshing piece of editorial genius is about to celebrate its third birthday, and with 144 issues so far you might expect an impressive following. However, it is rare that I see anyone else reading it and much more common to find a discarded copy or a hundred people simply walking past the distributor.

This lack of interest saddens me when I consider how much enjoyment I get out of a few articles. I read it from cover to cover every time and have yet to be disappointed. Every issue has a feminist focus, but explores varied and topical subjects, from breast cancer and the exploitative nature of the paparazzi to boutique cake-making courses and high street fashion must-haves. Undoubtedly it is aimed at women - and that is probably partly why I enjoy it - but I also love the way it opens my mind to new opinions, experiences and ways of viewing the world. In particular, I like how it has helped me strengthen my feminist beliefs, preparing me each day to face the male-dominated reality of working in a law firm.

Thus, I urge you: the next time you get offered a copy, take it. You might just find you love it as much as I do!

Take a look at their website www.stylist.co.uk where you can read any issue from their back issue library in celebration of Stylist magazine's third birthday.