Review of Bodacious Magazine
by Mindy Sommers

It is an irony that anyone would feel compelled to describe a magazine that celebrates the beauty of big women as "thin", but that's the first word that comes to mind for Bodacious Magazine, the newest men's magazine for those who appreciate the full figure. (And I'm not talking about the dearth of advertising, which was glaringly evident; though this is to be expected for a premiere issue, I was surprised they weren't able to drum up at least a little more advertising than they did.)

No, what I meant by "thin" is the almost complete lack of content. A couple of articles aside (is the inexplicable fetish practice of face-sitting and body "squashing" such an important topic that they felt compelled to feature it in their premiere issue?), there was no good writing to be found here, whether fiction or non-fiction. I hope that the lack of thought-provoking articles--writing with a command of the language and a flourish of the pen--was due to the fact that this is only their first issue, and that, with time, this will change. Isn't there a place here for well-written articles by the plus sized female admirer, talking about their own personal experiences with their preference? Or by plus-sized women, relating their own personal journeys on the way to self-acceptance? Or sexy, well-written fiction/erotica? Sadly, there was almost nothing to Bodacious' premiere issue save the photography, fine photography though it was. Not only were the full page, nude photos professionally done, but they were reminiscent of Playboy with nary an errant hair or missing airbrush opportunity. In fact, it was great to see fresh, new, up and coming models instead of the tired old faces that have populated the size community for what feels like time immemorial. With the exception of one paysite review in the back of the magazine, Bodacious touts brand new faces and bodies of big beautiful women-emphasis on the beautiful-each of them photographed lovingly and with skill.

Interspersed with such elegant photography, however, was the unfortunate "interviews" with the models. Typical answers to the interviewer's banal questions included answers like "I love to get fucked!" and other delicate sentiments. Like a spider's egg in a piece of chocolate, it was an unhappy surprise to find the kind of journalism that would have been more at home in a vulva-spread rag than the kind of classy magazine Bodacious seems to be aiming for. Count me in as one who wants them to hit their target, and this kind of stuff is not going to allow them to.

It is clear that the publisher, Xix Funch, has a vision for where he wants to go. And he made a great start. One can only hope that he solicits feedback and takes it to heart, as it would be a shame to see Bodacious' spark get snuffed because top-notch advertisers are uncomfortable with the vulgarity. Bodacious is truly the first men's magazine with a modicum of class, especially when you compare it to its counterparts like Buf and Plumpers, neither of which are able to hold a candle to Bodacious' layout and photography. As Bodacious is in dire need of skilled writers and thoughtful columnists, I couldn't help but recall BBW Magazine's most recent (and doomed) incarnation, with a publisher who solicited feedback but then proceeded to vigilantly ignore it, to the magazine's rapid demise. Just like man cannot live by naked photos alone (even Hef would tell you that), plus sized women---to whom BBW Magazine was geared---needed more than some fashion spreads and a couple of cronyism articles on Pez collecting (I kid you not) to keep their attention. It wasn't just that BBW's Magazine's editor knew nothing about and cared even less for fashion, or that the magazine's photography was substandard or that good, edgy writing about topics important to women (read: sex and men) were wholly non-existent. It was that, just like every other magazine for plus-sized women that's come and gone, the management forgot they were talking to women first--not their size.

Unlike magazines for women, magazines for men have more leeway as far as content is concerned. It may well turn out that beautiful photos of hot nude women are, indeed, enough to keep the guys coming back. It's a wonderful framework for a kick-butt magazine in every respect, and that includes the top-drawer writing it deserves. A plus-sized Playboy is long overdue; for too long, ogling pictures of large naked women has been a secret, shameful pleasure for many admirers of the larger figure. I hope that the days of dog-eared copies of Buf and Plumpers hidden between mattress and bedspring go the way of Huckapoo blouses and pet rocks.

I'm rooting for Bodacious. May it find its rythm and very own individual style. And a classy one at that.