Vogue magazine has published its December edition for 2020, featuring Harry Styles on the front cover. This makes Styles the first man to feature solo on the Vogue Cover in 128 years. When this month’s Vogue came out, it caused heavy debate, mainly because of the look Styles was sporting in the magazine. In the photoshoot pictures, Styles is seen wearing a Gucci gown. Artists and celebrities were quick to attack, and in some cases defend, the “Golden” singer in his choice of clothes.

Vogue is an American magazine that publishes monthly and covers a variety of topics, fashion being one of them. Since its founding in 1892, the American Vogue has featured male celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Zayn Malik, but never have they been depicted by themselves.

“Guys should be featured on the cover page because it is important for everyone to see a representation of themselves on large platforms. Little boys should be able to see artistic, inspirational men, too,” freshman Steffi Sarmiento-Mena said.

There was more to this than simply being the first male on the cover page: in this month’s Vogue, Harry Styles wore skirts and a dress, which caused the singer to receive reactions. A noticeable opinion was that of the author and political activist Candace Owens who tweeted that “There is no society that can survive without strong men” when talking about femininity shown by the pop singer in the pictures. Owens was not the only one to disapprove of Styles’ look; conservative commentator Ben Shapiro also tweeted several comments to express his distaste for men who express themselves in a feminine manner.

The statements received a wave of comments and replies defending Styles and his choice of clothes. Famous actress and filmmaker Olia Wilde replied with a simple “You’re pathetic” to Owens’ comment. Critics claiming that men should only present themselves in masculine ways were countered by fans of Styles, as well as those who insisted that femininity and masculinity can be intertwined. Bob the Drag Queen, “Rupaul’s Drag Race” champion, tweeted “No society can survive without fem men, or masc women, or fem women, or people in between all of that” as a response to Owens’ comments.

Harry Styles’ fashion sense has evolved over the years, his outfits having become elaborate and original. For example, in the 2019 Met Gala, the pop star wore a Gucci all-black design on the pink carpet, contrasting his usual colorful looks, which can be seen in his many music videos and at his concerts. His look on the Vogue Cover was unique because Styles had never worn a dress before. By doing so, many argued that he was redefining masculinity for himself and for his many fans as well.

“Clothes are clothes. Whether they are worn by a man or woman does not matter,” freshman Laura Ridoux said.

The Vogue edition made headlines because of the controversy it generated. Due to the conflicting opinions that were expressed about Styles’ outfits, Twitter became a battleground for arguments. The looks Styles’ was featured in prompted a debate as to whether or not men should be able to wear feminine clothes without fear of judgment.