The Vanity Fair drama whirls around like a teacup ride as rumors swirl about the possibility of none other than First Lady Melania Trump gracing its iconic cover. The mere suggestion of such an idea seems to have sent the magazine’s staff into a tizzy fit of epic proportions. They’re apparently so outraged that some unnamed editor, courageously hiding behind anonymity, has vowed to storm out, with half the staff allegedly ready to follow in a display of dramatic resignation theater. It’s a real cliffhanger, isn’t it?
Let’s pause for a moment and consider how serious these threats might be. After all, the very same employees who seem ready to throw their prestigious careers down the drain curiously prefer to keep their identities a mystery. Who knows if they would actually trade the bright lights of Vanity Fair for the less glamorous glow of unemployment? It’s hard to take such vows seriously when courage doesn’t extend to even giving a name, much less declaring oneself Spartacus. Missed opportunity for some cinematic flair aside, one has to wonder if this is genuine conviction or more akin to demanding an extra helicopter during contract discussions.
Though this situation might have the drama and flair of reality television, let’s get back to something our drama-prone editors may have forgotten. A whopping 77 million Americans ticked the box for Trump. Yes, some might have been confused about which line to stand in at the polls, but the numbers are real, and they represent a significant chunk of the citizenry. Pretending these millions don’t exist, or attempting to perpetually bury one’s head in the sand, is ignoring reality itself. Vanity Fair’s publisher certainly isn’t new to featuring first ladies, whether that’s Melania on its Mexican counterpart, or multiple Vogue appearances for Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
Choosing to engage only with those whose opinions mirror our own leads society nowhere. It reduces genuine discourse into echo chambers where only agreement flourishes. What’s amusing here is the disconnect between what’s deemed artistic acceptance and what’s labeled inappropriate. Melania Trump, like Jill Biden and Michelle Obama before her, embodies a role of international interest regardless of politics. Covering her shouldn’t stir such melodramatic upheaval.
In essence, if folks at Vanity Fair really do have such a tremendous problem with a Melania cover, they might want to rethink what they’re standing—or shouting anonymously—for. Journalism, especially at such a storied publication, should strive to investigate, to present various perspectives, and yes, even occasionally feature those we might personally disagree with. To refuse this is not only juvenile but denies readers access to a broader world. It begs the question: who’s really the one attempting to “normalize” desperation here?
