On Nov. 13, Vogue released their December cover story and cover photos. The cover story and corresponding photoshoot features performer Harry Styles. Styles is the first solo male to appear on the cover of Vogue in its 128 years of publication.
Styles is pictured wearing a dress under a jacket and rings, blowing air into a balloon. The article was written by Hamish Bowles and the photos were shot by Tyler Mitchell.
When Vogue released the cover, there was controversy regarding Styles’ choice to wear a dress. Both conservative media and the LGBTQ+ community weighed in on the photoshoot.
“In regard to the actual cover, I found it groundbreaking. Harry Styles broke barriers not only in fashion, but also the world of gender equality,” said senior Katerina Ridges, president of Sacred Heart University’s fashion club. “I love his style and how it’s playful yet classy. Another reason why I love his style is how you never know what he’s going to wear next. It’s exciting.”
Many people, like Styles’ fanbase, share the same opinion as Ridges. In addition, other celebrities, both male and female, posted on social media in support of Styles. Actor Zach Braff shared a tweet that said, “Our whole lives, boys and men are told we need to be manly. Life is short. Be whatever the **** you want to be.”
However, several people took issue with the photoshoot. Political spokesperson and author Candace Owens got involved with a tweet about the cover that went viral.
In the tweet, Owens said, “There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.”
The tweet was soon trending on Twitter and gained attention from both critics and supporters, including from another right-wing political commentator, Ben Shapiro.
“This is perfectly obvious. Anyone who pretends that it is not a referendum on masculinity for men to don floofy dresses is treating you as a full-on idiot,” said Shapiro, replying to the tweet from Owens.
Some members of the LGBTQ+ community were upset with the cover, such as gender fluid writer Alok Vaid-Menon.
“Our aesthetics make it to the mainstream, but not our bodies. We are still dismissed as ‘too much’ and ‘too queer’ because we aren’t palatable enough to whiteness and heteronormativity,” said Vaid-Menon.
Menon is among those who argue that while having a face as big as Styles promoting gender fluidity in fashion is important, it undermines the efforts of the trans community, who have been working hard to break traditional fashion barriers.
“Make no mistake: trans femmes of color started this and continue to face the backlash from it. Is that Harry’s fault? No. It’s the fault of systems of trans misogyny and racism,” said Menon in an Instagram post in response to the cover.
“The cover shows how in general you shouldn’t be afraid to follow the pressures of society. It adds to the major topic of gender equality, which I believe is one of the major purposes of doing this: to make a statement and show how there are no limitations when it comes to fashion and self-expression,” said Ridges.
