Dear Vogue’s Diversity Issue,
It’s not you, it’s me. I just can’t deal with the way—
Actually, now that I think about it, it’s totally you. When I heard you were having a diversity issue, I was so excited for you. I was excited to see a cover that celebrates women and includes models of different ethnicities, skin tones, and body types. I admire open-mindedness and pushing boundaries, but the way you went about it not only left me unsatisfied, but pretty pissed off, too. I know your needs are to show off high fashion supermodels that will sell copies of your magazine and hence designer products; but I, and the world, have needs too. When you say “Diversity,” I need to know you genuinely mean it. When your cover says “Women Rule,” I need you to not just talk about one type of woman. I just can’t be fed your lies anymore.
When I hear “Diversity,” I want it all—not just pictures of Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, who are on the cover of so many fashion magazines. There was very little variety in the skin tones of the models on your cover, too. All the women just looked like different shades of tan.
I think I finally realized I couldn’t do this anymore when you chose to include one kind of body type. Besides Ashley Graham, who covered her stomach and thigh in the cover photo, there is no difference in body type—and even Ashley Graham is the same height as everyone! After looking up all of the models’ heights and measurements, I realized that you must have a “type” that most women, including myself, just don’t fit into. I mean, all the models are 5’8” to 5’10” in height, and every model (excluding Ashley Graham) have a 23-inch to 25-inch waist. I mean, really!? And you call yourself diverse!? I just can’t understand how you can parade around saying you celebrate all types of women when all seven of your cover models represent the same height and six out of seven have the same waist sizes. Maybe this is considered diverse in the Model World, but in the Real World, it’s not.
Even though I wasn’t going to take you back, I thought maybe we could stay friends— I was going to forgive you. But then I realized you did something else, and I just couldn’t let it go. Karlie Kloss, a white, American model, was dressed like a Japanese Geisha in a 6-page spread. Kloss dressed in “yellow face,” which is a form of cultural appropriation against Asian culture. Kloss tweeted an apology:
I appreciate the apology, but it feels empty. If someone came up to me asking me to dress up like a figure from traditional Japanese culture, I would say no right away. Dressing up as someone else’s culture is never okay. I feel like you’re smarter than that, Vogue. I thought you knew better, but you obviously don’t.
Honestly, I just feel cheated. I expected a diversity issue that shows the fact that all different kinds of women rule no matter their body shape, height, or ethnicity. But you led me on. I now realize that you’re neither good for me, nor for women all over the world. I’m too good for you, and you’re just holding me back. So, I’d appreciate if you’d unfriend me on all social media, and stop sending “Renew Your Vogue Subscription” emails. It makes you look desperate.
XOXO,
Julia