It always starts with a tweet. This time around, the one and only Harry Styles has become the latest target of internet trolls. Thanks to a lovely tweet by internet troll queen herself, Candace Owens, society has apparently issued a call to “bring back manly men.”
Now in 2020, what does this even mean? We are progressing into a society that is accepting of all walks of life. According to TeenVogue, Millennials and Generation Z have become “the most progressive and diverse in the country’s history.” Issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia and bigotry have become not only topics of discussion, but research suggests that Generation Z has adapted a worldview that embraces more diverse viewpoints. This is why most of us can’t simply wrap our heads around the fact that someone would get upset about a man wearing a dress. We’ve got bigger issues.
What Styles is doing for the new ‘manly man’ generation
If you know anything about Styles at all, you know that he is a huge advocate for various organizations. He supports the Black Lives Matter movement and is known for openly supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Even one of his songs off of his sophomore album (Fine Line) is called, “Treat People With Kindness.” There is no debating that Styles is a well-rounded, down-to-earth kind of person.
By choosing to defy gender norms and wear a dress on the cover of Vogue, he is making way for the youth of the world to have a more open mind. What defines a man or woman is so far past the progress we have made in all the years leading up to 2020. We are learning that sexuality is a spectrum and that gender can be fluid. You can be whatever and whoever you want to be in today’s age, and there is nothing wrong with Styles promoting that kind of life choice!
What’s next for the manly men?
Styles does next to nothing besides make his music, hangout with his family and mind his own business. So why does this bother the older generation so much? It is the same thing we see whenever Billy Porter steps on the red carpet. They feel like masculinity is being attacked, but really it is just being redefined. There are so many factors that change from person to person when it comes to defining who they are. If it doesn’t harm anyone else, then what’s the problem?
Check out the above video for a Millennial Minute debate on this topic!
And for more on celebrities, check out this video!
