''Cosmopolitan'' (stylized in

all caps In typography, text or font in all caps (short for "all capitals") contains capital letters without any lowercase letters. For example: All-caps text can be seen in legal documents, advertisements, newspaper headlines, and the titles on book co ...

) is an American quarterly fashion and entertainment magazine for women, first published based in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in March 1886 as a family magazine; it was later transformed into a literary magazine and, since 1965, has become a

women's magazine This is a list of women's magazines from around the world. These are magazines that have been published primarily for a readership of woman, women. Currently published *''10 Magazine (UK), 10 Magazine'' (UK – distributed worldwide) *''Al Jam ...

. ''Cosmopolitan'' is one of the best-selling magazines. Formerly titled ''The Cosmopolitan'' and often referred to as ''Cosmo'', ''Cosmopolitan'' has adapted its style and content. Its current incarnation was originally marketed as a woman's fashion magazine with articles on home, family, and cooking. For some time it focused more on new fiction and written work, which included short stories, novels, and articles. Now it is more targeted towards women's fashion, sports and modern interests. Eventually, editor-in-chief Helen Gurley Brown changed its attention to more of a women's empowerment magazine. Nowadays, its content includes articles discussing relationships, sex, health, careers, self-improvement, celebrities, fashion, horoscopes, and beauty. ''Cosmopolitan'' is published by New York City–based

Hearst Corporation Hearst Corporation, Hearst Holdings Inc. and Hearst Communications Inc. comprise an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate owned by the Hearst family and based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan in New York ...

. The magazine's office in the Hearst Tower, 300

West 57th Street 57th Street is a broad thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan, one of the major two-way, east-west streets in the borough's grid. As with Manhattan's other "crosstown" streets, it is divided into its east and west sections at ...

near

Columbus Circle Columbus Circle is a traffic circle and heavily trafficked intersection in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan, located at the intersection of Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eighth Avenue, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway, ...

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

in New York City. ''Cosmopolitan'' has 21 international editions in Australia, China, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Mexico, the Middle East, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. International editions previously existed for Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bolivia,

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mongolia, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania,

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.

History

''Cosmopolitan'' originally began as a family and women's magazine, first published based in

in March 1886 by Schlicht & Field of New York as ''The Cosmopolitan''. Paul Schlicht told his first-issue readers inside of the front cover that his publication was a "first-class family magazine". Adding on, "There will be a department devoted exclusively to the concerns of women, with articles on fashions, on household decoration, on cooking, and the care and management of children. There was also a department for the younger members of the family." ''Cosmopolitan'' circulation reached 25,000 that year, but by November 1888, Schlicht & Field were no longer in business. Ownership was acquired by

John Brisben Walker John Brisben Walker (September 10, 1847 – July 7, 1931) was a magazine publisher and automobile entrepreneur in the United States. In his later years, he was a resident of Jefferson County, Colorado. Biography Walker was born on September ...

in 1889. That same year, he dispatched Elizabeth Bisland on a race around the world against

Nellie Bly Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman (born Elizabeth Jane Cochran; May 5, 1864 – January 27, 1922), better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist who was widely known for her record-breaking circumnavigation, trip around the world ...

to draw attention to the magazine. Under John Brisben Walker's ownership, E. D. Walker, formerly with ''Harper's Monthly'', took over as the new editor, introducing color illustrations, serials and book reviews. It became a leading market for fiction, featuring such authors as

Annie Besant Annie Besant (; Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was an English socialist, Theosophy (Blavatskian), theosophist, freemason, women's rights and Home Rule activist, educationist and campaigner for Indian nationalism. She was an arden ...

Ambrose Bierce Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 – ) was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book '' The Devil's Dictionary'' was named one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the ...

Willa Cather Willa Sibert Cather (; born Wilella Sibert Cather; December 7, 1873 – April 24, 1947) was an American writer known for her novels of life on the Great Plains, including ''O Pioneers!'', ''The Song of the Lark (novel), The Song of the Lark'', a ...

Theodore Dreiser Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (; August 27, 1871 – December 28, 1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalism (literature), naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despi ...

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was born in British Raj, British India, which inspired much ...

Jack London John Griffith London (; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors t ...

Edith Wharton Edith Newbold Wharton (; ; January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American writer and designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of the upper-class New York "aristocracy" to portray, realistically, the lives and morals of the Gil ...

, and

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, hist ...

. The magazine's press run climbed to 100,000 by 1892. In 1897, ''Cosmopolitan'' announced plans for ''the Cosmopolitan University'' as a free correspondence school: "No charge of any kind will be made to the student. All expenses for the present will be borne by the ''Cosmopolitan''. No conditions, except a pledge of a given number of hours of study." When 20,000 immediately signed up, Walker could not fund the school and students were then asked to contribute 20 dollars a year. Also in 1897, H. G. Wells' ''

The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells. It was written between 1895 and 1897, and serialised in '' Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US in 1897. The full novel was ...

'' was serialized, as was his ''

The First Men in the Moon ''The First Men in the Moon'' by the English author H. G. Wells is a scientific romance, originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' and '' The Cosmopolitan'' from November 1900 to June 1901 and published in hardcover in 1901. Wells calle ...

'' (1900).

Olive Schreiner Olive Schreiner (24 March 1855 – 11 December 1920) was a South African author, anti-war campaigner and intellectual. She is best remembered today for her novel '' The Story of an African Farm'' (1883), which has been highly acclaimed. It dea ...

contributed a lengthy two-part article about the

Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...

in the September and October issues of 1900.

Acquisition by Hearst

In 1905,

William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American newspaper publisher and politician who developed the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His extravagant methods of yellow jou ...

purchased the magazine for

US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

400,000 () and brought in journalist Charles Edward Russell, who contributed a series of investigative articles, including "The Growth of Caste in America" (March 1907), "At the Throat of the Republic" (December 1907 – March 1908) and "What Are You Going to Do About It?" (July 1910 – January 1911). Other contributors during this period included O. Henry,

A. J. Cronin Archibald Joseph Cronin (Cronogue) (19 July 1896 – 6 January 1981) was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known novel is ''The Citadel (novel), The Citadel'' (1937), about a Scottish physician who serves in a Welsh coal mining, minin ...

, Alfred Henry Lewis, Bruno Lessing,

Sinclair Lewis Harry Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930 Nobel Prize in Literature, 1930, he became the first author from the United States (and the first from the America ...

, O. O. McIntyre,

David Graham Phillips David Graham Phillips (October 31, 1867 – January 24, 1911) was an American novelist and journalist of the muckraker tradition. Early life David Graham Phillips was born in Madison, Indiana, a small town located on the Ohio River, cons ...

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American author, muckraker journalist, and political activist, and the 1934 California gubernatorial election, 1934 Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

, and

Ida Tarbell Ida Minerva Tarbell (November 5, 1857January 6, 1944) was an American writer, Investigative journalism, investigative journalist, List of biographers, biographer, and lecturer. She was one of the leading muckrakers and reformers of the Progre ...

's novella, " The Red One", was published in the October 1918 issue (two years after London's death), and a constant presence from 1910 to 1918 was

Arthur B. Reeve Arthur Benjamin Reeve (October 15, 1880 – August 9, 1936) was an American mystery writer. He is known best for creating the series character Professor Craig Kennedy, sometimes called "The American Sherlock Holmes", and Kennedy's Dr. Watson-like ...

, with 82 stories featuring Craig Kennedy, the "scientific detective". Magazine illustrators included Francis Attwood,

Dean Cornwell Dean Cornwell (March 5, 1892 – December 4, 1960) was a left-handedHarrison Fisher, and

James Montgomery Flagg James Montgomery Flagg (June 18, 1877 – May 27, 1960) was an American artist, comics artist, and illustrator. He worked in media ranging from fine art painting to cartooning, but is best remembered for his political posters, particularly his ...

. Hearst formed

Cosmopolitan Productions Cosmopolitan Productions, also often referred to as Cosmopolitan Pictures, was an American film company based in New York City from 1918 to 1923 and Hollywood until 1938. History Newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst formed Cosmopolitan in c ...

(also known as Cosmopolitan Pictures), a film company based in New York City from 1918 to 1923, then Hollywood until 1938. The vision for this film company was to make films from stories published in the magazine.

''Hearst's International''

''Cosmopolitan'' magazine was officially titled as ''Hearst's International Combined with Cosmopolitan'' from 1925 until 1952, but was simply referred to as ''Cosmopolitan''. In 1911, Hearst had bought a middling monthly magazine called ''World To-Day'' and renamed it ''Hearst's Magazine'' in April 1912. In June 1914 it was shortened to ''Hearst's'' and was ultimately titled ''Hearst's International'' in May 1922. In order to spare serious cutbacks at

San Simeon San Simeon ( Spanish: ''San Simeón'', meaning "St. Simon") is an unincorporated community on the Pacific coast of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Its position along State Route 1 is about halfway between Los Angeles and San ...

, Hearst merged the magazine ''Hearst's International'' with ''Cosmopolitan'' effective March 1925. But while the ''Cosmopolitan'' title on the cover remained at a

typeface A typeface (or font family) is a design of Letter (alphabet), letters, Numerical digit, numbers and other symbols, to be used in printing or for electronic display. Most typefaces include variations in size (e.g., 24 point), weight (e.g., light, ...

of eighty-four

points A point is a small dot or the sharp tip of something. Point or points may refer to: Mathematics * Point (geometry), an entity that has a location in space or on a plane, but has no extent; more generally, an element of some abstract topologica ...

, over time span the typeface of the ''Hearst's International'' decreased to thirty-six points and then to a barely legible twelve points. After Hearst died in 1951, the ''Hearst's International'' disappeared from the magazine cover altogether in April 1952. With a circulation of 1,700,000 in the 1930s, ''Cosmopolitan'' had an advertising income of $5,000,000. Emphasizing fiction in the 1940s, it was subtitled ''The Four-Book Magazine'' since the first section had one novelette, six or eight short stories, two serials, six to eight articles and eight or nine special features, while the other three sections featured two novels and a digest of current non-fiction books. During World War II, sales peaked at 2,000,000. The magazine began to run less fiction during the 1950s. Circulation dropped to slightly over a million by 1955, a time when magazines were overshadowed during the rise of paperbacks and television. The Golden Age of magazines came to an end as

mass market The term "mass market" refers to a market for goods produced on a large scale for a significant number of end consumers. The mass market differs from the niche market in that the former focuses on consumers with a wide variety of backgrounds with ...

, general interest publications gave way to special interest magazines targeting specialized audiences.

Under Helen Gurley Brown

Cosmopolitan's circulation continued to decline for another decade until Helen Gurley Brown became chief editor in 1965 and radically changed the magazine. Brown remodeled and re-invented it as a magazine for modern single career women, completely transforming the magazine into a racy, contentious, and successful magazine. As the editor for 32 years, Brown spent this time using the magazine as an outlet to erase stigma around unmarried women not only having sex, but also enjoying it. Known as a "devout feminist", Brown was often attacked by critics due to her progressive views on women and sex. She believed that women were allowed to enjoy sex without shame in all cases. She died in 2012 at the age of 90. Her vision is still evident in the design of the magazine. The magazine eventually adopted a cover format consisting of a usually young female model (or prominent female celebrity), typically in a low cut dress, bikini, or some other revealing outfit. The magazine set itself apart by frankly discussing

sexuality Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...

from the point of view that women could and should enjoy sex without guilt. The first issue under Helen Gurley Brown, July 1965, featured an article on the

birth control pill The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), often referred to as the birth control pill or colloquially as "the pill", is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women. It is the oral form of combined hormonal contra ...

, which had gone on the market exactly five years earlier. This was not Brown's first publication dealing with sexually liberated women. Her 1962 advice book, '' Sex and the Single Girl'', had been a bestseller. Fan mail begging for Brown's advice on many subjects concerning women's behavior, sexual encounters, health, and beauty flooded her after the book was released. Brown sent the message that a woman should have men complement her life, not take it over. Enjoying sex without shame was also a message she incorporated in both publications. In Brown's early years as editor, the magazine received heavy criticism. In 1968 at the feminist

Miss America protest The Miss America protest was a demonstration held at the Miss America 1969 contest on September 7, 1968, attended by about 200 feminists and civil rights advocates. The feminist protest was organized by New York Radical Women and included put ...

, protestors symbolically threw a number of feminine products into a "Freedom Trash Can". These included copies of ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...

'' magazines. ''Cosmopolitan'' also ran a near-nude centerfold of actor

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and 1980s. He became well known in television series such as ''Gunsmoke'' (1962–1965), '' Hawk'' (1966) and '' Dan Augus ...

in April 1972, causing great controversy and attracting much attention. The Latin American edition of ''Cosmopolitan'' was launched in March 1973. In April 1978, a single edition of ''Cosmopolitan Man'' was published as a trial, targeted to appeal to men. Its cover featured

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...

and Aurore Clément. It was published twice in 1989 as a supplement to ''Cosmopolitan''. In its January 1988 issue, ''Cosmopolitan'' ran a feature claiming that women had almost no reason to worry about contracting

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

long after the best available medical science indicated otherwise. The piece claimed that unprotected sex with an

HIV-positive The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

man did not put women at risk of infection and went on to state that "most heterosexuals are not at risk" and that it was impossible to transmit HIV in the

missionary position The missionary position or man-on-top position is a sex position in which, generally, a woman lies on her back and spreads her legs and a man lies on top of her while they face each other and engage in vaginal intercourse. The position may also ...

. This article angered many educated people, including

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

and

gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Not ...

activists. The protests organised in response to the article's publication were turned into a 30-minute documentary titled "Doctors, Liars and Women: AIDS Activists Say NO to Cosmo" by two members of ACTUP, a New York City based collective of HIV/AIDS activists. One of the articles in its October 1989 issue, "The Risky Business of Bisexual Love", promoted the '

bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...

bridge' theory. The 'bisexual bridge' theory suggests that heterosexual women are unknowingly put at risk for contracting HIV through sexual contact with bisexual men who covertly have sex with other men (colloquially described as being "on the down low"). The New York Area Bisexual Network performed a successful letter-writing campaign against ''Cosmopolitan''.

Today

Since the 1960s, ''Cosmopolitan'' has discussed such topics as health, fitness, and fashion, as well as sex. The magazine has also featured a section called "Ask Him Anything", where a male writer answers readers' questions about men and dating. COSMOPOLITAN magazine at The Brandery Summer Edition 2010

COSMOPOLITAN magazine at The Brandery Summer Edition 2010

The magazine, in particular its cover stories, has become increasingly sexually explicit in tone. In 2000, the grocery chain

Kroger The Kroger Company, or simply Kroger, is an American retail company that operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) supermarkets and multi-department stores throughout the United States. Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cinc ...

, at the time the second largest in the US after

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...

, began covering up ''Cosmopolitan'' at checkout stands because of complaints about sexually inappropriate headlines. The UK edition of ''Cosmopolitan'', which began in 1972, was the first ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine to be branched out to another country. It was well known for sexual explicitness, with strong sexual language, male nudity, and coverage of such subjects as rape. In 1999, '' CosmoGIRL!'', a spinoff magazine targeting a teenage female audience, was created for international readership. It shut down in December 2008. There are 64 worldwide editions of ''Cosmopolitan'', and the magazine is published in 35 languages, with distribution in more than 100 countries making ''Cosmopolitan'' the largest-selling young women's magazine in the world. Some international editions are published in partnerships, such as licenses or joint ventures, with established publishing houses in each local market. During 2015, ''Cosmopolitan'' found popularity in a then-newfound medium, the "discover" section on Snapchat. At the time, Cosmopolitan's "discover" had over 3 million readers a day. In October 2018,

Bauer Media Group Heinrich Bauer Publishing (), trade name, trading as Bauer Media Group, is a German multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Hamburg. It operates worldwide and owns more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50 radio and TV stations, ...

announced that after 45 years, publication of the Australian edition of ''Cosmopolitan'' would stop due to the commercial viability of the magazine no longer being sustainable. In March 2022 the Russian edition, ''

Cosmopolitan Russia ''Cosmopolitan Russia'' was the Russian edition of ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine. It was the first international women's magazine published in the post-Soviet period in Russia. It changed its title to ''The Voice Mag'' and ended its affiliation with ...

'', changed its title to ''Voice'' after Hearst revoked its affiliation following the invasion of Ukraine. On the cover of its October 2018 issue, ''Cosmopolitan'' featured plus-sized model Tess Holliday. Some people, such as TV presenter

Piers Morgan Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; O'Meara, born 30 March 1965) is an English journalist and media personality. He began his career in 1988 at the tabloid ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun''. In 1994, at the age of 29, he was appointed editor of ...

, criticized this choice, arguing that it amounted to promoting obesity. Editor of Cosmopolitan Farrah Storr called the cover choice a bold stance in favor of

body positivity Body positivity is a social movement that promotes a positive view of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities. Proponents focus on the appreciation of the functionality and health of the human body instea ...

. In December 2020, actress

Emma Roberts Emma Rose Roberts (born February 10, 1991) Additional on October 9, 2016 is an American actress, singer and producer. Known for her performances spanning multiple genres of film and television, her work in the horror film, horror and thriller ...

became the first pregnant celebrity to appear on the cover of the magazine.

Awards and features

Fun, Fearless Male of the Year

For over a decade, the February issue has featured this award. In 2011,

Russell Brand Russell Edward Brand (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster and media personality. He established himself as a stand-up comedian and radio host before becoming a film actor. After beginning his career as a comedian and la ...

received the magazine's Fun, Fearless Male of the Year Award, joining

Kellan Lutz Kellan Christopher Lutz (born March 15, 1985) is an American actor, martial artist and model. He made his film debut in '' Stick It'' (2006), and is best known for playing Emmett Cullen in ''The Twilight Saga'' film series (2008–2012). He has ...

and

Paul Wesley Paweł Tomasz Wasilewski (; July 23, 1982), better known by his stage name Paul Wesley, is an American actor and film director. He is known for starring as Stefan Salvatore in '' The Vampire Diaries'' (2009–2017) and James T. Kirk in '' Star ...

(2010),

John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in 1997 with fellow guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-liv ...

(2008),

Nick Lachey Nicholas Scott Lachey ( ; born November 9, 1973) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, producer, TV personality and host. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the multi-platinum-selling boyband 98 Degrees and later starred in the reality ser ...

(2007),

Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...

(2006),

Josh Duhamel Joshua David Duhamel ( ; born November 14, 1972) is an American actor. After various modeling work, he made his acting debut as Leo du Pres on the ABC daytime soap opera ''All My Children'' for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award and later starr ...

(2005),

Matthew Perry Matthew Langford Perry (August 19, 1969 – October 28, 2023) was an American and Canadian actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994– ...

(2004), and

Jon Bon Jovi John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (born March 2, 1962), known professionally as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is best known as the founder and Lead vocalist, frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was fo ...

(2003).

Fun, Fearless Female of the Year

The Fun, Fearless Female of the Year award was awarded to Kayla Itsines (2015),

Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Scherzinger ( ; ; born June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She was a member of the girl group and dance ensemble the Pussycat Dolls between 2003 and 2010. With ...

(2012),

Mila Kunis Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis (born August 14, 1983) is an American actress. Born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, and raised in Los Angeles, she was Jackie Burkhart on ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006) and has voiced Meg Griffin on ''Family Guy'' since ...

(2011),

Anna Faris Anna Kay Faris ( ; born November 29, 1976) is an American actress. Known for playing comedic roles, she rose to prominence with the lead part of Cindy Campbell in the Scary Movie (film series), ''Scary Movie'' films (2000–2006). Her film credi ...

(2010), Ali Larter (2009),

Katherine Heigl Katherine Heigl ( ; born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and model. She portrayed Izzie Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2010, a role that b ...

(2008),

Eva Mendes Eva de la Caridad Méndez (, ; born March 5, 1974), known professionally as Eva Mendes, is a retired American actress. Her acting career began in the late 1990s with a series of roles in films such as '' Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror ...

(2007),

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

(2006),

Ashlee Simpson Ashley Nicolle Ross-Næss ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), also known as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as ...

(2005),

Alicia Silverstone Alicia Silverstone ( ; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller ''The Crush (1993 film), The Crush'' (1993), earning the 1994 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and gained further pro ...

(2004),

Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and film producer. The List of highest-paid film actors, highest-paid actress of 2010 and 2014, Sandra Bullock filmography, Bullock's filmography spans both comedy and drama, ...

(2003),

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...

(2002),

Debra Messing Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing starred in the television series ''Ned and Stacey'' on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox (1995–1997) an ...

(2001),

Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979) is an American actress, producer and singer. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel serie ...

(2000),

Shania Twain Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( ; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time and the best-sel ...

(1999), and

Ashley Judd Ashley Tyler Ciminella, known professionally as Ashley Judd (born April 19, 1968), is an American actress and activist. She grew up in a family of performing artists, the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country ...

(1998).

Cosmopolitan Men – The Making of the World's Sexiest Calendar

''Cosmopolitan Men'' released a video on The Making of the World's Sexiest Calendar in 1994 followed by a 14-month Cosmopolitan Men Calendar. Photographer Richard Reinsdorf shot the entire Calendar and helped direct the video.

Anniversary Male Centerfolds

''Cosmopolitan'' releases a Male Centerfold issue every few years that features hot male celebrities from the United States. Here is a partial list of the men that have appeared in Cosmopolitan's Centerfold Editions over the years:

1972,

Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (February 17, 1936 – May 18, 2023) was an American professional American football, football player, civil rights activist, and actor. He played as a Fullback (gridiron football), fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the ...

1973, John Davidson 1975,

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...

1977, Scott Brown 1982,

David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on the soap ...

1990. Male super-model Tracy James was named Cosmopolitan's 25th Anniversary Centerfold in 1995: his centerfold garnered so much attention that ''Cosmopolitan'' printed an extra 500,000 copies to meet demand. ''Cosmopolitan'' Editor-in-Chief Helen Gurley Brown sat with James for interviews on ''

America's Talking America's Talking was an American cable television channel focused mainly on talk-based programming, created by NBC, and spun off from economic channel CNBC. It was launched on July 4, 1994, and was carried in ten million American households upo ...

'' and on ''Oprah'' with

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...

, on how the magazine's editors and scouts searched America over the course of a year, seeing thousands of men before deciding on James.

Bachelor of the Year

''Cosmopolitan'' November issue features the hottest bachelors from all 50 states. Pictures and profiles of all the bachelors are posted on www.cosmopolitan.com, where readers view and vote for their favorite, narrowing it down to six finalists. A team of ''Cosmopolitan'' editors then selects the Bachelor of the Year, who is announced at an annual party and media event in New York. The 50 bachelors generally appear on programs such as ''The Today Show''. Past winners include: * Ryan Anderson 2017 *Ryan Chenevert 2012 *

Chris Van Vliet Christopher Van Vliet (born May 19, 1983) is a Canadian television/radio personality and YouTuber currently living in Studio City, Los Angeles. He was born and raised in Pickering, Ontario. He is an entertainment reporter for FOX affiliate WSV ...

2011 * Ryan "Mickey" McLean 2010 * Brad Ludden 2008 * Brian Watkins 2007 * Matt Wood 2006

Practice Safe Sun

In the May 2006 issue of ''Cosmopolitan'', the magazine launched the Practice Safe Sun campaign, an initiative aimed at fighting

skin cancer Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the Human skin, skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells (biology), cells that have the ability to invade or metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. It occurs when skin cells grow ...

by asking readers to stop all forms of tanning other than tanning from a bottle."Cosmo to Promote 'Safe Skin
''AllBusiness.com''. In conjunction with the campaign, ''Cosmopolitan'' editor-in-chief, Kate White, approached Congresswoman

Carolyn Maloney Carolyn Jane Maloney (née Bosher, February 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2013 to 2023, and for from 1993 to 2013. The district includes most of Manhattan's East Side, Astoria and Long I ...

, known for her support of women's health issues, with concerns that women were not fully aware of the dangers of indoor tanning and the effectiveness of the current warning labels. After careful review, the Congresswoman agreed that it was necessary to recommend that the FDA take a closer look. She and Representative

Ginny Brown-Waite Virginia Brown-Waite (born Virginia Frances Kniffen; October 5, 1943) is an American politician who served as U.S. Representative for from 2003 until 2011. She is a member of the Republican Party and a founder of Maggie's List. The district s ...

introduced the Tanning Accountability and Notification Act (TAN Act – H.R. 4767) on February 16, 2006. President Bush signed the act in September 2007, and the new federal law requires the

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

to scrutinize the warning labels on

tanning bed Indoor tanning involves using a device that emits ultraviolet radiation to produce a cosmetic tan. Typically found in tanning salons, gyms, spas, hotels, and sporting facilities, and less often in private residences, the most common device is a h ...

s and issue a report by September 2008.

Cosmo Blog Awards

''Cosmopolitan'' UK launched the Cosmo Blog Awards in 2010. The awards attracted more than 15,000 entries and winning and highly commended blogs were voted for in several categories including beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and celebrity. The 2011 awards launched in August 2011 and nominations are open until August 31, 2011. All UK-based bloggers and blogs written by British bloggers abroad with a British perspective can be entered.

Cosmopolitan, The Fragrance

In May 2015, Cosmopolitan UK announced they were launching their first ever fragrance. This is considered a first in the magazine industry. Named 'Cosmopolitan, The Fragrance', the perfume takes on the notion of their much-loved phrase 'Fun, Fearless Female' and was set to launch in September.

Politics

Seventeenth Amendment

''Cosmopolitan'' played a role in passing the Seventeenth Amendment to the

US Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally including seven articles, the Constitut ...

, which allowed for the popular election of US Senators (previously they were elected by state legislatures). In 1906,

hired

to write a series of articles entitled " The Treason of the Senate". These articles, which were largely sensationalized, helped galvanize public support for this cause.

Candidate endorsement

In September 2014, ''Cosmopolitan'' began endorsing political candidates. The endorsements are based on "established criteria" agreed upon by the magazine's editors. Specifically, ''Cosmopolitan'' will only endorse candidates that support equal pay laws, legal

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

, free

contraceptives Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

gun control Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms and ammunition by civilians. Most countries allow civilians to own firearms, bu ...

, and oppose voter identification laws. Amy Odell, editor of Cosmopolitan.com, has stated that under no circumstances will the magazine endorse a political candidate that is

anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...

: "We're not going to endorse someone who is pro-life because that's not in our readers' best interest." According to Joanna Coles, the magazine's

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

, the endorsements of ''Cosmopolitan'' will focus on "candidates in

swing state In United States politics, a swing state (also known as battleground state, toss-up state, or purple state) is any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a statewide election, most often refe ...

s or candidates who are strongly in favor of issues like contraception coverage or gun control." In the 2014 U.S. elections, ''Cosmopolitan'' officially endorsed twelve Democratic candidates. However, only two of them won their respective

political campaign A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group. In democracy, democracies, political campaigns often refer to election, electoral campaigns, by which representatives a ...

Campaigns against ''Cosmopolitan''

Victoria Hearst, a granddaughter of

(founder of ''Cosmopolitan'' parent company) and sister of

Patty Hearst Patricia Campbell Hearst (born February 20, 1954) is an American actress and member of the Hearst family. She is the granddaughter of American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. She first became known for the events following her 197 ...

, has lent her support to a campaign which seeks to classify ''Cosmopolitan'' as harmful under the guidelines of "Material Harmful to Minors" laws. Hearst, the founder of an evangelical Colorado church called Praise Him Ministries, states that "the magazine promotes a lifestyle that can be dangerous to women's emotional and physical well being. It should never be sold to anyone under 18". According to former model Nicole Weider, who is also part of this campaign, the magazine's marketing is subtly targeting children. Billboards have been hung in states such as Utah urging the state to ban sales of the magazine. In 2018, Walmart announced that ''Cosmopolitan'' would be removed from checkout lines after the anti-pornography organization National Center on Sexual Exploitation, formerly known as Morality in Media, labeled the magazine as "sexually explicit material".

Editor in chief (American edition)

* Frank P. Smith (1886–1888) * E. D. Walker (1888) *

(1889–1905) * Bailey Millard (1905–1907) * S. S. Chamberlain (1907–1908) * C. P. Narcross (1908–1913) * Sewell Haggard (1914) * Edgar Grant Sisson (1914–1917) * Douglas Z. Doty (1917–1918) * Ray Long (1918–1931) * Harry Payne Burton (1931–1942) * Frances Whiting (1942–1945) * Arthur Gordon (1946–1948) * Herbert R. Mayes (1948–1951) * John J. O'Connell (1951–1959) * Robert C. Atherton (1959–1965) * Helen Gurley Brown (1965–1997) *

Bonnie Fuller Bonnie Fuller (born Bonnie Hurowitz; September 8, 1956) is a Canadian media executive who is the owner and editor-in-chief of '' Hollywood Life''. Fuller previously worked as editor-in-chief for publications including '' YM'', '' Cosmopolitan'', ' ...

(1997–1998) *

Kate White Kate White is an American author, former magazine editor, and speaker. From 1998 to 2012, she served as the editor-in-chief of ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' and left to concentrate full time on writing suspense fiction. She is the ...

(1998–2012) *

Joanna Coles Joanna Louise Coles (born 20 April 1962) is the Chief Creative and Content Officer for ''The Daily Beast''. She served as chief content officer for Hearst Magazines from 2016 to 2018. She has won awards for journalism, including, when she was ...

(2012–2016) * Michele Promaulayko (2016–2018) * Jessica Giles (2018–2024) * Willa Bennett (2024–present)

Other editions

Cosmopolitan Australia

''Cosmopolitan Australia'' was launched in May 1973. It continued publication until December 2018 when the licence holder

Bauer Media Heinrich Bauer Publishing (), trade name, trading as Bauer Media Group, is a German multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Hamburg. It operates worldwide and owns more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50 radio and TV stations, ...

axed the title, stating that it was no longer commercially viable. In 2023 it was reported that Hearst wanted to relaunch Cosmopolitan in Australia. The publication was relaunched in August of 2024.

Editors

''Cosmopolitan Italy''

In 1973 there was a merger between ''Cosmopolitan'' and the Italian magazine ''Arianna'', published by

Mondadori Arnoldo Mondadori Editore () is the biggest publishing company in Italy. History The company was founded in 1907 in Ostiglia by 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori who began his publishing career with the publication of the magazine ''Luce!''. In 19 ...

since in 1957, assuming the name ''Cosmopolitan Arianna''. From January 1976 the masthead changed to the current ''Cosmopolitan''. In 1996 the magazine, owned by Della Schiava Editore, ended its publication, which resumed with Mondadori in 2000, with the editor Silvia Brena. In July 2010 ''Cosmopolitan'' passed to the editorial Hearst Magazines Italia, becoming a monthly magazine.

References

External links

*
American History: "Cosmopolitan Magazine"
at

Spartacus Educational Spartacus Educational is a free online encyclopedia with essays and other educational material on a wide variety of historical subjects, principally the struggle for equality and democracy as part of British history from 1700 and the history of ...

''The Cosmopolitan''
at the

HathiTrust HathiTrust Digital Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries. Its holdings include content digitized via Google Books and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digit ...

''Hearst's international combined with Cosmopolitan''
at the