Ebony Magazine did a beautiful digital experience with Jonathan Majors at the helm.
The artistry in the project not only gives the actor his flowers but it sparked heated conversations about masculinity, and how it’s portrayed in mainstream media.
Ebony Editor’s note
According to Ebony’s editor Marielle Bobo the cover shoot explored the idea of personal expression as it relates to Black masculinity.
They quoted Majors who said:
“One of my many objectives in my work is to help,” he says. “And what I’m trying to do with my work is to show that nothing is a monolith—not Blackness, not maleness, not [even] comic book villains. Nothing’s more diverse than the fact that the Big Bad of the MCU is a young Black boy from Texas.”
While Jonathan is more focused on the nuances of the characters he plays and complexed storylines, folks on twitter are hyper-focused on this picture, shot by photographer Keith Major.
Some people are accusing Ebony or ‘Hollywood” of emasculating Majors visually, while others disagree.
Read some of the talking points below starting with Boyce Watkins:
Ladies, this is how Hollywood defines black masculinity.
That’s why so many of your men are defeated and weak. pic.twitter.com/JZaWDrEWEi
— Boyce Watkins, PhD – Wealth is Power (@drboycewatkins1) February 18, 2023
and
I was about to engage w Boyce Watkins tweet about Jonathan Majors. But I won’t. Fashion doesn’t make men weak. Weak men beat women in jeans and a white tee all the time. But yes, a cape is the issue ???. Anyway, lemme go listen to some earth, wind, and fire and enjoy my day. pic.twitter.com/Pmrp19kS6s
— Tami Sawyer (@tamisawyer) February 18, 2023
and
This discourse on social media over Jonathan Majors not looking “masculine enough” in that Ebony photo shoot tells me there’s a serious lack of anime awareness in our society. We should get that fixed.
— Jamie Broadnax ? Disney World (@JamieBroadnax) February 18, 2023
and
Let me tell you about this guy named Prince … pretty sure nobody ever looked at him as being “emasculated” or less than manly. Prince would have done this cover with heels on and pants with the ass out, and been sexy AF. We gotta stop worrying about the wrong shit. https://t.co/FM2k1E33EA
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 18, 2023
Speaking of Prince! He is also trending because of this conversation on Twitter.
People have always asked why Prince embraced ‘this kind of fashion’, along with other androgynous icons like David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Boy George, and Grace Jones?
BYU summed up the answer very well.
They said:
For Prince, clothing was about self-expression and freedom from gender stereotypes. He did not wear his flamboyant clothing in order to appear like a woman; he wore it because he felt it looked good on him and made him feel confident. He and others wanted to show the world that fashion should not be confined by one’s gender, nor should it be an indicator of one’s gender or sexual orientation; rather, it should be a means of creative expression and identity.
Shut uppppppppppp. Y’all would still fold for this brother in his pink fluffy mui mui. Just like y’all did with Prince, Isley Brothers, Andre 3000. Come off it, for real. We keep getting stuck *here* as a ppl and it’s exhausting. Y’all make this existence exhausting. https://t.co/ULk5wedHbi
— Mel Smith (@iamMelsmith) February 18, 2023
and
Prince wore pants with the ass out, every dude in Earth, Wind, and Fire and the Isleys was wearing halter tops with tights and a glittery cape. 3 Stacks wore blonde wigs and shit. We’re still men. We good. https://t.co/NoMrpx4yPe
— RC (@glowlikeleroy) February 19, 2023
and
Can’t help but notice the same women that call men “zesty” and “sassy” for having standards and preferences are praising Jonathan Majors looking “sassy” on that Ebony cover.
— Rubyn Warren II (@rubyncomedy) February 19, 2023
and
Pretty sure zero ladies out there look at Jonathan Majors and think “defeated and weak.”
Or, for that matter, at an Ebony magazine cover and think “Hollywood.”
— David Josef Volodzko (@davidvolodzko) February 19, 2023
The Inspiration behind the picture
The stylist has confirmed that his choices were based on One Piece’s Doflamingo, an infamous anime villain.
Watch:
and
Jonathan Majors outfits were inspired by two One Piece costumes: Luffy’s One Piece Film Z alternative outfit and the feathered-cape of the one former Seven Warlords of the Sea, Doflamingo. We love Black anime fans across mediums ? pic.twitter.com/UuqgSRhazj
— Getting Animated Podcast On Hiatus (@gettinganimated) February 8, 2023
and
Y’all are so miserable about the Jonathan Majors Ebony cover. Don’t piss me off today.
He’s dressed like Doflamingo from One Piece and even if he wasn’t, funk niggas in the 70s rocked styles like that all the time and were still considered very masculine. Please give it a break.
— Cock Shame Boys™ (@Tayquellin) February 18, 2023
and
Jonathan Majors pays homage to One Piece’s Doflamingo in a new photoshoot for Ebony Magazine
(via @EBONY) pic.twitter.com/blSBnwMiwb
— Lights, Camera, Barstool (@LightsCameraPod) February 8, 2023
and
it’s just a doflamingo cosplay bro it’s not that deep ? pic.twitter.com/CiQNYWDnSV
— Geo (@Geo_AW) February 19, 2023
Do you agree that these pictures emasculate black men, or are people making much a do about nothing.
All we know is Jonathon Majors is just getting started and we cannot wait to see more of him in block buster films!
Check out his Ebony Cover here.
