“Being a partner is no longer an affirmation of being a woman,” said an article in British Vogue.
Anna Wintour steps down as Vogue editor-in-chief after 36 years
Anna Wintour will step down as editor-in-chief of Vogue, a position she held since 1988, and will continue in her global role at Condé Nast.
Is it embarrassing to have a boyfriend now? The internet is divided.
The conversation about heterosexual relationships has exploded since an Oct. 25 British Vogue article posed the question in its headline.
Although author Chanté Joseph framed the headline as a study, she made her position clear: straight women “don’t want to be seen as only thinking about men.”
“Being a partner is no longer an affirmation of being a woman. It is no longer considered an achievement,” Joseph wrote in the article.
On social media, people say a lot of things in one way or another.
“Vogue is right, it’s embarrassing to have a boyfriend!!!” one person wrote about X, while another called the piece “stupid than the title”.
Why is it becoming a hot topic on the internet that boyfriends are embarrassing?
Joseph’s opinion piece talks about how women showcase their relationships online, especially in the world of soft and hard launches.
“To me, it feels like a result of women wanting to straddle two worlds: one where they can reap the social benefits of having a partner, but not be so attached to their boyfriend that they come across as quite culturally losers,” Joseph writes.
However, she declares, “Falling in love is nothing to be ashamed of.”
Joseph said on TikTok that in the process of writing her article, she spoke to many women who raised similar themes, both single and in relationships.
“There was this idea that there was no sense of solidarity with other women, and that being in a relationship was by default very uncool,” she said in a video posted on Oct. 26, which has been viewed more than 5 million times to date.
In another video, the writer shared that he has gained 30,000 followers on TikTok since the article was published.
Supporters say the story ‘rocked women’s worlds’
Among the wide range of opinions about this work, some people said online that they relate to or agree with being single and fulfilled.
One person wrote of X: “Vogue wrote that having a boyfriend was embarrassing. Finally found my natural talent.”
Another wrote: “I want to make it clear that I thought having a boyfriend was shameful long before Vogue said so.”
However, many others justified the argument with their own conditions.
“Is it embarrassing to have a boyfriend or is it embarrassing who you commit to?” one person on TikTok said.
Another wrote: “This British Vogue article isn’t about hating love. It’s about how we’ve come to feel that being loved proves we’re worthy.”
“That Vogue article is too real. If he’s not obsessed with you, that’s all you need. Anything less is embarrassing,” user X wrote.
On the other hand, there were others who praised the work without hesitation.
One said: “It’s incredible to see an intelligent woman put into words what you’ve been feeling for years.”
Another said the article “rocked women’s world forever. History will remember how dating changed forever because women realized men were embarrassing.”
Critics say having the right boyfriend is nothing to be ashamed of
However, many criticized the article as cynical or inaccurate.
One TikToker said, “Articles like this only provide emotional relief and support to people who don’t have happy relationships.”
Other users said their relationship experiences were different.
“Dear Mr. Vogue, my boyfriend is the best thing that happened to me. He’s nothing to be ashamed of,” someone said on X.
“Sorry Vogue, but having a boyfriend is only embarrassing if he’s a loser,” one person said on TikTok, adding, “I’m not a loser.”
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
