Esquire Magazine's "An American Boy" Cover

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Overview

Esquire Magazine's "An American Boy" Cover refers to the controversy surrounding a cover feature article by Esquire Magazine profiling a boy named Ryan Morgan, a white American middle class male from West Bend, Wisconsin. The article and cover received criticism from social media users who felt the choice to feature the story of a white American male did a disservice to more underrepresented voices in American society.

Background

Posts about Esquire's March 2019 issue began spreading on Twitter on February 9th, 2019. That day, Twitter user @DebJannerson^[1] tweeted about it, saying the story was "as bad as it looks," highlighting a part where Morgan discusses his time as a pro-Trump high school student. The story covers how Morgan negotiates life during "the era of social media, school shootings, toxic masculinity, #MeToo, and a divided country." It is available to be read on Esquire's website.^[2]

Deb Jannerson @DebJannerson Follow Just read the new @esquire's hot- garbage cover story, and yes, it's as bad as it looks. feminism, or Black Lives Matter. The most popular opinion at West Bend seemed to be anti-Trump. Ryan, raised in Republi- can households, was surprised by the vitri- ol. "Everyone hates me because I support Trump?" he says. "I couldn't debate anyone without being shut down and called names. Like, what did I do wrong?" GL BUILD A LIFE THAT NATTERS The week I visit West Bend, the front page of USA Today reads, IS WHAT SOME- ONE DOES AT AGE 17 RELEVANT? in reference to Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault accusation against Brett Kavanaugh. I ask Ryan ifhe has discussed #MeToo in any of his classes. "I've heard of that," he says. "What does it mean again?" I also ask him about Trump's reputation as a misogynist. "He is respectful towards his wife, as far as I know," he says. "I don't think he is racist or sexist." Then again, he thinks the presi -t GREEN 4:37 PM-9 Feb 2019

Developments

Twitter saw some posts about the story the following day, but it was not until February 11th, 2019 that it began receiving mass attention. That day, Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer tweeted about the story, gaining over 100 retweets and 580 likes (shown below, left). User @fransquishco sarcastically tweeted "finally, the representation we've all been waiting for," gaining over 1,700 retweets and 9,800 likes (shown below, right).

Will Sommer Following @willsommer Totally baffled by this 7,000+ word Esquire cover story about a run-of-the- mill Republican teen who likes "COOL SNEAKERS classic.esquire.com/article/2019/3 RYAN MORGAN is a high school senior from West Bend, Wisconsin. Like all seventeen-year-olds, he thinks a lot about what he wants to do with his life, because everyone keeps telling him he's supposed to have it figured out. He'd rather just talk about his GIRLFRIEND or COOL SNEAKERS or the PACKERS But at a time of social upheaval, he's quickly learning that guys like him must adjust to a new future. "I KNOW WHAT I CAN'T DO," HE SAYS. "I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO." 3:13 PM-11 Feb 2019

t Fran Tirado @fransquishco Follow finally, the representation we've been waiting for MARCH 19 BUILD A LIFE THAT MATTERS Ryan Morgan, a high school Wisconsin, at home: Iknow what I can't do, Ijust don't know what I con do. GREEN AN AMERICAN BOY What it's like to grow up white, middle class, and male in the era of social media,

On February 12th, Esquire tweeted a link to the article.^[3] They later posted an article written by Editor in Chief Jay Fielden defending the cover and the decision, arguing against echo chambers.^[4] Twitter user @watsontots argued that Jay Fielden arguing for featuring the young boy's story on the basis that it was an important voice to be heard was hypocritical as Esquire had infamously killed their story from the children allegedly molested by Bryan Singer. Reporter Ashley Feinberg posted screenshots of since-deleted tweets Fielden sent which some speculated to be to Bari Weiss in which he complained about the "Jacobins" coming to "guillotine" him, referencing the backlash from the political left against him (shown below, right).

Liz Watson @watsontots Follow Remember that Jay Fielden and ESQUIRE, who are crying foul about "echo chambers" today, also killed their massive story on the Bryan Singer abuse allegations. When they say how important it is to hear young, white, male perspectives, they only mean one kind MARCH '19 BUILD A LIFE THAT MATTERS Ryan Morgan, a high school senior in Wisconsin, at home: I know what

Ashley Feinberg @ashleyfeinberg Following esquire eic having some trouble getting the hang of DMs Jay Fielden @JayFielden 2s ge, too Jay Fielden@JayFielden 20s That means a lot as the digital Jacobins prepare the guillotine for me. Thank you, Bari. And one day I hope we'll have that lunch Much a... 12:56 PM-12 Feb 2019

The backlash, which also covered how the article was released during Black History Month, was covered by multiple news outlets, including MSN,^[5] Huffington Post,^[6] and Yahoo.^[7]

Search Interest

External References

^[1] Twitter – @DebJannerson

^[2] Esquire – PART 1 OF A NEW SERIES ABOUT A BOY

^[3] Twitter – @Esquire

^[4] Esquire – Why Your Ideological Echo Chamber Isn't Just Bad For You

^[5] MSN – Esquire's Profile Of White American Boy During Black History Month Stirs Controversy

^[6] Huffington Post – Esquire’s Profile Of White American Boy During Black History Month Stirs Controversy

^[7] Yahoo – Esquire cover featuring white, middle-class 'American boy' sparks backlash

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