How the country’s largest women’s magazine revolutionized content for women

H

There are two versions for the birth of CLAUDIA. The romantic and most recurrent says that the name of the magazine was given in honor of the daughter that Victor Civita, founder of Editora Abril, and his wife, Sylvana, never had. Despite the poetry that surrounds this idea, it is not very accurate. As Carlos Maranhão tells in Roberto Civita – The Bank Owner, biography of Abril’s publisher, CLAUDIA, already existed in Argentina, where Victor’s brother ran a publishing house. The predecessor from the neighboring country was successful among readers.

Here, it seemed to make sense to repeat the formula. At the time, women began to talk about careers and rights without leaving aside the care of children and home. “The formula was inspired by old titles from the United States and Europe, such as Ladies’ Home Journal, a North American sales record. But CLAUDIA had Brazilian products, highlighted national clothing, offered possible consumption and hired photographers from here. Being ‘Brazilian’ became her differential”, explains Constância Lima Duarte, professor of Brazilian literature at the Federal University of Minas Gerais and author of Female and Feminist Press in Brazil – 19th Century (Authentic).

As she is due to launch a volume dedicated to the 20th century soon, Constância has a large CLAUDIA collection at home and has gone over the title at length. “Before CLAUDIA, the female publishing market was dominated by photonovelas, which systematically reiterated a submissive behavior and reinforced the idea of ​​idealized relationships far from reality. There were even feminist opposition products, but because they were not very commercial, they lasted for a shorter period of time”, she says.

CLAUDIA should be something different from both paths, she would play the role of the reader’s friend, confidant. In order to meet this reader and be able to talk to her, the first editorial director, Luís Carta, suggested to the editor-in-chief, Thomaz Souto Corrêa, that he go to the newsstands to talk to newsagents and shoppers, in addition to reading the letters that arrived. the essay.

See also: #ChegaDeHate – You are part of toxic internet culture. Let’s change?

Thomaz would become CLAUDIA’s editorial director in 1965 and would stay at Abril for decades, in various executive positions, even becoming part of the editorial board and becoming Roberto’s right hand man, Victor’s son. The well-done job of understanding who the title should speak to made it quickly become a success.

CLAUDIA had international interviews, translated into Brazilian the fashion trends shown abroad and revealed details of the culture of other countries – great achievements in a world without internet facilities.

In a short time, versions focused on fashion, beauty and cooking appeared, an area that became a pillar of the brand and that appeared in an appendix published until the 2010s.

Despite all the pioneering spirit and successes, CLAUDIA’s true revolution has a first and last name and it was she herself who offered to work on the title: Carmen da Silva. The writer and psychologist from Rio Grande do Sul was separated (the divorce was still controversial) and lived in Rio de Janeiro.

See also: Gabriela Prioli – “I annulled dreams because they teach that a woman cannot have ambition”

Her desire was to write to “encourage women to be protagonists of their own lives”, as she declared in a letter sent to the editorial office. “The leap in quality of the magazine is noticeable with its arrival. Carmen effectively contributed to female awareness. It was an important counterpoint among the reports, revealing contradictions in the woman’s identity. In the same edition you could read ‘Know your value as a housewife’ or ‘The secret of who lives to be beautiful’ and a bombastic statement by a mother saying that her daughter was no longer a virgin or an article about motherhood that didn’t say that it was a holy and natural function”, says Constância about the provocative column “The Art of Being a Woman”, published from 1963 to 1985, when Carmen died.

It is difficult to express the greatness and importance that the partnership between Carmen and CLAUDIA had in the Brazilian’s life. Subjects considered taboo, such as contraceptive methods, divorce and female financial independence, entered the pages monthly, promoting intense exchanges with readers.

Thus, an admirable tradition was formed, which subscribers repeat to this day. CLAUDIA became a family heirloom. The grandmother encouraged the habit in the mother, who did the same with her daughter, and the magazine involved entire generations.

“The leap in quality of the magazine is noticeable with the arrival of Carmen da Silva. The psychologist and writer effectively contributed to female awareness. It was an important counterpoint among the reports, revealing contradictions in the woman’s identity”

Constance Lima Duarte, teacher

One of the great flags carried by CLAUDIA from the beginning and that even today generates discussions on our platforms is the fight against violence against women. In 1977, an article by Carmen highlighted a pattern that continues to this day. The phrases “The woman: the best target to unload” and “The man: an aggressor almost always forgiven” were highlighted.

See also: Minipublics lead the population to participate directly in political decisions

Decades later, activist Maria da Penha, who fought years in court against her abusive husband, won a CLAUDIA Award, the highest female award in Latin America, with 24 editions held to date. Maria da Penha would appear on other occasions in CLAUDIA and, in March 2018, on the cover of the magazine, along with other women who denounced violence under the slogan “Feminism is not mimimi”.

“The vehicle has a history very close to feminist waves and was considered a space to debate what could not be discussed at home. In the 1960s, when feminism went beyond the academic area and debates between small groups, it became an agenda at CLAUDIA. However, at that time, there was no diversity in the female press, so it was still a limited approach, which did not refer to all Brazilian women, but to a very specific profile. The media in general suffered from this same problem”, believes Anna Feldmann, professor of journalism at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, specializing in feminist journalism.

“We are still far from ideal, but we have already read on the pages about topics such as intersectional feminism, racism, transmisogyny. This change in women’s magazines is very impactful”, she adds.

See also: Renata Vasconcellos:“In the pandemic, I stopped and asked myself what makes me happy”

Reaching 60 is a victory for different teams and big names that have passed through CLAUDIA’s newsrooms. In each era, the magazine knew how to leave its mark, adapting to the times and current discussions. That’s because reinventing herself is in CLAUDIA’s DNA, after all, just as Luís Carta taught, it is always necessary to listen to the reader and keep in touch with her needs.

Years may pass, but it is common to hear in the newsroom – even if it is, like last year, an online environment: who are we talking to? What does this woman want? What is she living now? By placing the reader as a priority, the magazine remains faithful to its essence, regardless of age.

1961

Pioneer

The Italian actress Sophia Loren, an icon of the time, was featured in the first edition of the women’s magazine that promised to Brazilianize the current editorial concept

1967

carmen the star

Having been divorced, Carmen was not afraid to talk about topics considered taboo, as in this column where she dealt with her family after her divorce

1974

birth without violence

The report reports Stefan’s loving delivery. The applied technique respects the time of the mother’s body and avoids operations. Recalls the discussions about humanized childbirth, which surfaced again a few years ago

1975

Current 40 years later

“Divorce does not absolutely mean the dissolution of the family”, defends Carmen da Silva, who also claims that “it is easy to deny the unhappiness of others”

1977

against violence

It wasn’t just physical and domestic aggression that Carmen was talking about. Machismo, the name as we know it, was not used, but she described it: “All the pressures we suffer at work, at the doctor, on the street, at home for the simple fact of being women”

1985

contradictions

The red stripe at the top announces something new: CLAUDIA Cozinha’s recipes come with calories. Just below, the call alerts to excesses in diet and the danger of anorexia

1991

the woman who works

CLAUDIA’s formula has always included a diversity of themes, such as work, children, home decor, food and self-knowledge.
This cover has almost all

2007

focus on celebrities

For many years, CLAUDIA’s covers have featured models – with a few celebrities, like Xuxa, popping up at times. In that decade,
the artists take over

2017

The activism

As a decisive figure in society and in the economy, women need to be part of the great discussions about the country’s future and current issues. In this special cover, which opened to present more personalities, social transformations were the focus

2021

the current

With so many means of information and their speed, the journalistic scoop in the printed version was replaced by in-depth discussion, which includes women in the reflection and sheds light on a better future