Whether Helen Gurley Brown had a positive or negative impact on the advancement of women across the globe continues to be debated in 2012.
But the long-time editor of US Cosmopolitan and self-proclaimed feminist certainly made her mark during her 31 years at the helm of the magazine. Love her or hate her, Brown had something to say about the role of women in society and arguably paved the way for many career-minded women worldwide.
Made famous by her 1962 bestseller Sex and the Single Girl, based on Brown’s days as a bachelorette, Brown’s outspokenness and controversial opinions helped her become one of the most powerful authors of her time.
While her critics urge women of 2012 to ignore her influence (namely her opinions like “being stupid is much worse than being ugly”), Brown taught women of the 1950s and 60s that they were entitled to a career and success when she coined the phrase “having it all” with the publication of her book of the same name in 1964. And in Sex and the Single Girl, which was published in 28 countries and translated into 16 languages, Brown taught young women to enjoy being single and that they should find fulfilment in work.
It was in 1965 when Brown took the reins as editor of US Cosmopolitan and over three decades, revolutionised the magazine industry. Once a conservative women’s magazine, Brown transformed Cosmo into the single girl’s bible and helped turn the magazine into a worldwide success.
“My success was not based so much on any great intelligence but on great common sense,” she once said with respect to her transformation of the magazine.
But before her days as one of the world’s most influential magazine editors, Brown was already achieving milestones for women.
In 1941, Brown graduated from California’s Woodbury Business College with a business degree and later joined LA advertising agency Foote, Cone & Belding as a copywriter in 1948, winning prizes for her copy.
In 1958, she then became the West Coast’s highest paid woman in advertising after joining LA advertising agency Kenyan & Eckhardt as an account executive, becoming one of few to be listed in Who’s Who of American Women and also recognised in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
“Helen was an inspiration, a true success story. Her energy, enthusiasm and true passion for women’s issues unleashed a platform for women worldwide,” said David Carey, president of Hearst Magazines (the publisher of Cosmopolitan). “She brought the subject that every woman wanted to know about but nobody talked about, to life, literally, in Cosmo’s pages.”
Born in Green Forest, Arkansas, Brown’s family struggled financially and depended on her for support. Graduating high school as class valedictorian and obtaining her business degree in 1941, Brown took on number of secretarial jobs in order to support her family, later urging readers of Cosmo to plan their financial lives, writing: “Being smart about money is sexy”.
As editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan’s 64 international editions, Brown died on 13 August at 90.
Below is the timeline of Helen Gurley Brown’s incredible life and career, as compiled by Hearst
THE LIFE OF HELEN GURLEY BROWN
1922 – Helen Gurley Brown was born on 18 February in Green Forest, Arkansas to Ira and Cleo Gurley
1941 – Brown graduated from California’s Woodbury Business College with a business degree.
1948 – Brown joined LA advertising agency Foote, Cone & Belding as a copywriter.
1958 – Brown became the West Coast’s highest paid woman in advertising after joining LA advertising agency Kenyan & Eckhardt as an account executive.
1959 – Brown married Hollywood producer and former journalist David Brown on 25 September. Helen was David’s third wife.
1962 – Wrote bestseller, “Sex and the Single Girl”
1964 – Wrote another bestseller, “Sex and the Office”
1965 – Named editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan
1967 – Wrote “Outrageous Opinions of Helen Gurley Brown”
1969 – Wrote “The Single Girl’s Cookbook”
1971 – Wrote “Sex and the New Single Girl”
1977 – Brown received a career achievement award from Stanford University
1982 – Wrote the bestselling book, “Having it all”
1986 – The Hearst Corporation established a chair at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Brown’s name – the Helen Gurley Brown Research Professorship
1988 – Inducted into the Publisher’s Hall of Fame
1993 – Brown wrote “The Late Show: A semi-wild but practical guide for women over 50
1995 – Brown received the Henry Johnson Fisher Award from the Magazine Publishers of America – the first woman to receive the prestigious award.
1996 – Received American Society of Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame Award. Brown announced she would step down as editor of Cosmo the following year.
1997 – After 31 years, Brown left the US edition of Cosmo and was named editor-in-chief of all international editions. Her last issue was February 1997.
1998 – Wrote “The Writer’s Rules
2000 – Brown wrote her memoir “I’m Wild Again: Snippets from my life and a few brazen thoughts
2004 – Wrote “Dear Pussycat: Mash notes and missives from the desk of Cosmopolitan’s legendary editor”
2012 – Brown made a $30 million donation to Columbia and Stanford Universities, creating the David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation