Former Cosmo editor talks careers, college, hookup culture

Editor’s note: This story was edited for length. Information and accuracy were not compromised in the process.

Fun. Fearless. Female.

“What are your three words?” author and former Cosmopolitan Editor-in-chief Kate
White asked the audience, referring the magazine’s infamous tagline.

As the keynote speaker for the Women in Business “Have it All!” conference Saturday,
White drew upon her personal rise up the magazine masthead and 14-year experience running the top selling magazine on newsstands to dish out her bold career advice.  

Stressing the importance of branding yourself, “going big or going home” and focusing
on the bigger picture were just a few of the tips White shared. The Indiana Daily Student sat down with White before her lecture to discuss even more of what it takes to become a “gutsy girl.”

IDS: If you were in college today, what would be the first step you would take to getting where you are now?

White: You have to be proactive. You’ve got to go after things like internships, but more than that you have to figure out a way to stand out in the pack when you’re doing it.

What I did in my own way was really try to win the Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women contest. Part of entering was writing an essay about what your goals were in life, and I thought, “I’ve got to win.” This is going to be the way I get into magazines, because I didn’t know any other way.

And so I wrote an essay on why I had no goals — just to be provocative — because I thought, “That’s going to help me stand out.” And of course by the time you get to the end you realize, “Yeah I actually do have goals,” but I think my point was that I just wanted to be open to the future. I ended up winning the contest.

And for me, that little lesson about not doing exactly what you were told to do in the instructions has stayed with me forever.   

IDS: There’s been a lot of discussion in the media recently about the hook-up culture on college campuses. As a former Cosmo editor, what’s your take?

White: On the one hand I want to say bravo to women who don’t feel guilty about sex. Helen Gurley Brown, when she revolutionized Cosmo in the ’60s, had two goals she told me — one was to tell women that it was okay to have sex without being married, and two, it was okay to be happy without being married.

The flip side of that is you have to understand men and women think differently about sex. And unfortunately there’s a double standard, and as women we’re judged and shamed sometimes by our sexual behavior. And so, as long as you’re aware of the prejudices that still exist in our society, you’re entitled to your sexual freedom.

I think it’s really important for us to be informed about sexuality. To make it seem like it’s dirty to be providing that kind of information, to me, is just incredibly immature. I salute Gen X and Gen Y for their lack of intimidation about learning about sex and feeling comfortable exploring it and asking questions.

IDS: In your book, “I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This: Success Secrets Every Gutsy Girl Should Know,” you write that it’s important to avoid coming off as a “raging bitch,” but men who act the same way are often seen as having a “take charge” attitude. Do you think there’s a double standard when it comes to the perception of male versus female leaders?

White: I do think there are double standards, and people are quick to throw the “b” word on women. And, you may have to play certain situations differently than a man. It’s not fair. But the smart person accepts where there are areas where you have to play it a little different and realize that life is a chess game, work is a chess game and love is a chess game.

As a colleague of mine once brilliantly said, “Cold always wins over hot.” Meaning that in work situations if you can handle confrontations with a cool head, you’re probably going to do better than if you lose it or come on like a “raging bitch” — whether you’re male or female.  

Follow reporter Michela Tindera on Twitter @mtindera07.