Harry Styles made history on Friday (Nov. 13) as the first solo man to grace the cover of Vogue, but some haters weren’t loving the star’s parade of gender-blurring looks in the fashion bible.
“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,” conservative commentator Candace Owens wrote while retweeting the photo shoot. “It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.”
Styles’ legions of fans were quick to jump to the star’s defense, including actress and director Olivia Wilde. “You’re pathetic,” she wrote in response to Owens’ diatribe. (Wilde is currently directing Styles in the 1950s-set thriller Don’t Worry, Darling, which will serve as the former One Direction-er’s sophomore role on the silver screen following 2017’s Dunkirk.)
“Idk about you but i think that there is nothing more manly then a man being so secure with his masculinity that he can wear a dress,” another user commented, while another fan account pointed out, “CLOTHES DON’T HAVE GENDER.” A third simply wrote, “Wtf stay mad.”
Many also took the opportunity to school the conservative firebrand on a brief history of fashion, pointing out that clothing worn by men throughout both the East and West contradict her argument — from Scottish kilts and rococo fashions of France to the traditional dress-like garments of China and the Middle East.
See Wilde’s response to Owens’ criticism of Styles in Vogue below.
You’re pathetic.
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) November 16, 2020
idk about you but i think that there is nothing more manly then a man being so secure with his masculinity that he can wear a dress pic.twitter.com/4kttEE85nn
— phia♡︎🐇 (@happierhrry) November 16, 2020
CLOTHES DON’T HAVE GENDER pic.twitter.com/cWf4LJ6W7Q
— |A| is ia because “school” (@ADORELOU91) November 16, 2020
https://twitter.com/WEMADEITG0LDEN/status/1328182259136999428
Meanwhile men in the 1700s and enlightenment which lead to our time. If you think the clothing you wear completely defines you as weak or strong you need to check your premises. pic.twitter.com/kot7d1LgI0
— Moises Salazar (@lifeofmoe93) November 14, 2020