At a panel discussion on feminism in the media Esquire editor Alex Bilmes admitted images of women were used in the same way as cars, but claimed this was more honest than gender portrayal in women's magazines.
Esquire editor Alex Bilmes has admitted that the magazine uses pictures of "ornamental" women for male readers "in the same way we provide pictures of cool cars".
Bilmes, who moved from rival men's title GQ to edit Esquire in 2010, said that his magazine's policy was "more honest" than that of the women's magazine industry, which he claimed perpetuate negative images of women.
"The women we feature in the magazine are ornamental," he said, speaking on a panel at the Advertising Week Europe conference in London.
I could lie to you if you want and say we are interested in their brains as well.
We are not.
They are objectified.
I could lie to you if you want and say we are interested in their brains as well.
We are not.
They are objectified.
Bilmes, speaking on a panel hosted by Cosmopolitan editor Louise Court about feminism in the media and advertising, added that men "see women in 3D" in many different roles in life "but at certain times we like to see them sexy".
Esquire provide pictures of girls in the same way we provide pictures of cool cars.
It is ornamental. Women's magazines do the same thing.
It is ornamental. Women's magazines do the same thing.
He said that in his view Esquire was "more honest" than many titles.
Citing the "anti-feminist" example of a newspaper using a picture of model Naomi Campbell next to a financial story "because she shopped at Marks & Spencer once".
Citing the "anti-feminist" example of a newspaper using a picture of model Naomi Campbell next to a financial story "because she shopped at Marks & Spencer once".
He argued that Esquire was, in fact, "less rigid" in its portrayal of women than women's magazines.
We are more ethnically diverse, more shape diverse, he said.
In fashion magazines women are much thinner.
We have older women, not really old, in their 40s.
In fashion magazines women are much thinner.
We have older women, not really old, in their 40s.
He went on to cite the example of actress Cameron Diaz, who is in her 40s, as an "older" women used on the cover of a recent issue of Esquire.
Most women's magazines don't put them, older women, in their magazines.
Most women's magazines don't put them, older women, in their magazines.
He said the women's magazine industry and advertising targeting women were primarily responsible for perpetuating stereotyped and negative images of women.
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