Walmart pulls 'degrading’ Cosmopolitan magazine from checkout aisles

Many have criticised the decision, describing the publication as ‘empowering’

Walmart stores across the US are going to stop selling Cosmopolitan magazine in the checkout aisles.

Earlier today, the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) announced that it had been working with Walmart for months to make the policy change in an effort to “take a stand against sexual exploitation”.

The popular women’s magazine will continue to be sold elsewhere in stores, but will no longer appear on stands when Walmart shoppers pay for their purchases.

“That’s over 5,000 stores where families and individuals will no longer be automatically exposed to Cosmo’s hypersexualised and degrading article titles that regularly promote pornography, sexting, BDSM, group sex, anal sex, and more, all while marketing toward young teens with Disney star cover models,” the statement reads on the NCOSE website.

“We at the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation have been working behind the scenes with Walmart for months regarding this police improvement, and applaud Walmart for making their checkout aisles family-friendly and sexploitation-free.”

Many people on social media have expressed their extreme disapproval over the announcement, explaining that the removal of Cosmopolitan magazine from the checkout aisles for “hypersexualised” imagery perpetuates rape culture.

“The argument that hiding Cosmo from Walmart shoppers will foster a ‘culture that will respect women and ensure their dignity is understood’ is absolutely infuriating. Sexuality ≠ exploitation,” one person wrote.

“I have always thought of @Cosmopolitan as empowering, not exploitative,” another individual commented.

Haley Halverson, vice president of advocacy and outreach at NCOSE, linked the decision with the #MeToo movement in a comment to the Daily News.

“Especially in this #MeToo world, it’s time to start addressing the fact that we can’t treat women as objects in these ways in our popular culture and then expect individuals to treat women with respect in they day-to-day lives,” she said.

However, a Twitter user rebuked this statement, writing: “Walmart using #MeToo as an excuse to stop selling Cosmopolitan in checkout lines is pretty ridiculous.

"Censoring frank information about sex feeds into rape culture by denying girls knowledge about their sexuality and choices they can make for themselves.”

On the Cosmopolitan website, it states that the magazine offers: “Fun, fearless advice on men, love and sex.”

A Walmart spokesperson provided The Independent with a statement about the policy announcement, stating: “As with all products in our store, we continue to evaluate our assortment and make changes.

“Walmart will continue to offer Cosmopolitan to customers that wish to purchase the magazine, but it will no longer be location in the checkout aisles.

“While this was primarily a business decision, the concerns raised were heard."

The Independent has reached out to Cosmopolitan for comment.