{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1662774"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1662774/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB1765/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB1765/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NB1765","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1662774","accessionNumber":"38041800848178","objectType":"Periodical","titles":[{"title":"Ms.","type":"published title"}],"summaryDescription":"Ms. Magazine was co-founded by women’s rights activists Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pittman Hughes as a periodical aiming to provide feminist news and information. This inaugural issue, published July 1st 1972, features Wonder Woman on its cover. \r\nCreated in 1941 by psychologist William Moulton Marsden, Wonder Woman had quickly become established as the most well-known female superhero. Moulton said he wanted Wonder Woman to be “psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world”. She soon became popular with readers, featuring in exciting tales of female empowerment in the world of comic books historically dominated with male characters. \r\nThis cover was a key part of establishing Wonder Woman’s symbolic status within liberal second-wave feminism as a force for justice and unity. The magazine wanted an eye-catching cover that stood out from other women’s magazines of the day and with Steinem a fan of Wonder Woman, they chose this illustration by Murphy Anderson. Bright and attention-grabbing, the supersized version of the superhero is shown striding determinedly over an American landscape, holding her golden ‘lasso of truth’ containing a part of the town, saving it from war raging below. Inside, the magazine includes an essay on Wonder Woman's history and role in inspiring feminism.\r\nThe cover is significant in its historical context. The ‘Wonder Woman For President’ banner and the slogan on the billboard to the left is a nod towards the 1972 presidential election, which proved to be a landmark election for women’s involvement in American politics. Shirley Chisholm was the first woman and first Black person to enter the race for the Democratic presidential ticket but faced racist and sexist opposition. Linda Jenness was the Socialist Workers Party’s presidential candidate, but at 31 was too young to legally win presidency. The warzone depicted to the right of the illustration is thought to represent the ongoing, deeply unpopular war in Vietnam which the United States fought in.\r\nMs. ran as a monthly publication until 1987 before becoming a quarterly publication. It still exists in online form, maintaining its original focus on feminism and women’s rights, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. ","physicalDescription":"Magazine, illustrated (some in colour).","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Anderson, Murphy","id":"AUTH398422"},"association":{"text":"illustrator","id":"x36173"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"National Art Library","id":"THES271541"},{"text":"Feminism","id":"THES48955"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES48605"},"images":["2021NB1765"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES251738"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Periodical","id":"AAT26657"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"New York","id":"x29030"},"association":{"text":"printed and published","id":"x35383"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"July 1972","earliest":"1972-07-01","latest":"1972-07-31"},"association":{"text":"printed and published","id":"x35383"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"28","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"From NAL catalogue"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Periodical, 'Ms.' Vol. 1, no. 1 (July 1972) edited by Gloria Steinem, New York: Ms. Magazine Corp.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["38041800848178"],"accessionNumberNum":"38041800848178","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"NAL Pressmark","id":"THES56809"},"number":"PP.36.D Box II"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2021-09-15","availableToBook":false}}