Shine Launches: Where Is a REAL Women’s Site?
by
on March 31, 2008,
On the off chance you haven't already been inundated with women's sites, Yahoo has launched their new site geared toward women today. Sticking with the name Shine that was originally rumored, the site follows the same mold as previous entries into this space.
Right from the first article you see, you know that Yahoo has gone as far as women's magazines in researching what women want. The headline article? A treatise on “The 100 Unsexiest Men 2008″ originated by the Boston Phoenix. And while it lacks a “hair day” status for weather, I'm sure they felt they were making up for it by adding my horoscope next to the current conditions.
Right along the top bar, I'm shown my interests as a woman: Fashion + Beauty, Healthy Living, Entertainment, Parenting, Love + Sex… all it's missing is a video of a talking Barbie doll saying “Math is hard” to complete the site. Astrology really deserves its own topic?
While I admit I had no hopes whatsoever for Shine, I'm disappointed nonetheless. Where are the women out there building these sites? Are they sticking to the demographics they are told to look at or are they actually out there asking real women what they want to see in a site geared toward them? I refuse to believe that in 2008 horoscopes are still a huge talking point for women.
It's depressing to look at the topics on Shine. There is no tech news. No business section or science topics, unless you count dieting tips and an article concerning whether chocolate is good for you. No political conversations or world news or global issues. But two clicks bring me to “10 ways to attract women, according to guys.”
Yahoo has also added tools to “Join the conversation” by giving me my very own blog! Since it's too hard to go out and sign up for a free blogging service, and then I'd be out there with all the big, scary men and all. Shine will even suggest posts I might like once I start subscribing to channels, and in case I wanted to know how to find these recommendations, all I have to do is click “My stuff.”
I'm sure that many women will come flocking to Shine, and delight in one more site “just for women.” As for me, I can't help but feel insulted that my interests are apparently relegated to a man's world. We have a woman running for President of the United States, and I'm supposed to spend my time reading about fashion and debate whether or not I'd report a co-worker for watching porn at work? There are bigger issues out there, Shine, and I don't think I need to be a man to care about them.
