Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is set to appear on the February cover of Vogue magazine, and the publication is receiving backlash after the cover images were leaked over the weekend. That's primarily because they don't depict Kamala as the political powerhouse that she is and look significantly less professional than what would be expected from a photo shoot of the future vice president of the United States of America.
More from MamásLatinas: All about Kamala Harris & what her win represents for women
Two images of Kamala were apparently selected for the cover, with one being a slightly more formal shot of her in a powder blue business suit and the other a more casual shot of her wearing a blazer, jeans, and Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers. The latter, in particular, has been off-putting for many, who are now accusing the magazine of not showing Kamala the respect she deserves as the first woman in US history to serve as vice president.
The cover seems irreverent.
The photos were leaked by Twitter user models daily (@supermodeldaily), and many people were quick to call out the photo in which Kamala appears in jeans and sneakers a fake, accusing the account of editing the image, which comes off as somewhat irreverent and way too informal considering the role she is preparing to take on.
People were amazed that both Kamala and Vogue would approve this.
One Twitter user summed it up pretty well saying, "1. Kamala would never dress like that for a photo shoot 2. Vogue would never use that background…" And we have to say we agree. While Kamala is known for her love of the classic low-top sneakers, we couldn't imagine her wanting to appear on her first major magazine cover after becoming vice president in them, and that backdrop seems well … really tacky.
Vogue confirmed the covers are real.
The next day, Vogue took to social media to confirm that the covers are indeed real. "To respond to the seriousness of this moment in history and the role she has to play [in] leading our country forward, we’re celebrating both images of her as covers digitally," a Vogue representative said in a statement. But many people noticed that the image leaked by @supermodelsdaily includes a barcode, indicating that it is indeed from the print issue of the magazine, which would appear on newsstands and be mailed to subscribers.
It feels rushed.
Despite being shot by renowned photographer Tyler Mitchell, the photos feel rushed and lack a certain level of impact and artistry that this moment in history calls for. The backgrounds in both photos are uninteresting and even cheap looking, and the photos honestly seem like someone said, "Kamala is here! Quick! Let's get a picture," and it just doesn't sit well with people who understand the importance of her role as vice president.
People have been quick to call out Vogue.
One Twitter user pointed out the lack of dignity Kamala is being portrayed with in the more casual photo, and shaming Vogue for not putting in "more effort." We agree that it almost feels as if having Kamala on the cover was an afterthought. We understand there was no way of knowing whether she and Joe Biden would win the election and that perhaps Vogue wanted to wait to shoot the photos until their win was confirmed, but even still these photos—both, not just the informal photo—look like test shots, rather than the final product.
It feels "disrespectful."
We have to agree with the Twitter user who accused Vogue of being "disrespectful." Nothing about these photos captures the gravity of Kamala's huge, historic accomplishment, and it definitely makes us wonder whether a white woman in the same position would have been handled differently. And no, not everything is about race, but sometimes implicit bias rears its ugly head, and we suspect that may have been at play here.
