海角大神

You read that correctly: The newest CoverGirl is a boy.

James Charles, a 17-year-old makeup artist from New York, will be the new face of the iconic cosmetics brand. James, who first earned fame through makeup tutorial videos and popular social media accounts, will be the first male 鈥榮pokesmodel鈥� in CoverGirl鈥檚 55-year history.

Given the teen鈥檚 talent with brush and pen, it鈥檚 an obvious pairing. But the partnership may also signal changing tides 鈥� both in the gendered world of makeup and in American culture at large.

CoverGirl isn鈥檛 the first cosmetic brand to eschew 鈥渉egemonic notions of femininity,鈥� says Cornell University anthropologist Oneka LaBennett in a phone interview with 海角大神. Since its founding in 1985, Toronto-based MAC Cosmetics has worked with such LGBQT celebrities as RuPaul and KD Lang.

Nor is it the brand鈥檚 first attempt at breaking down barriers. In an industry that has been criticized for not accommodating women of color, the faces of CoverGirl have been diverse: Queen Latifah, Rihanna, Janelle Mon谩e, Dania Ramirez, and Zendaya have all been featured.

But never has it featured a man. So why now?

For one thing, James has a considerable social media presence in a world that increasingly values social media. This type of public figure has the visibility of a traditional celebrity but at the same time already interacts with fans and followers on a personal level. And that influence is powerful.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a lot of interesting things with these social media stars, from a marketing standpoint,鈥� says Robyn Goodman, a professor of advertising at the University of Florida, in a phone interview with the Monitor. 鈥淐ompanies are partnering with them to parlay their fame online so that the companies themselves may feel more authentic to Millennial and Gen Z audiences.鈥�

Companies can also win over younger audiences by making social statements. CoverGirl already has spokesmodels of different races and ages, so perhaps gender is simply the next frontier.

鈥淚 think they鈥檙e kind of making the statement that they鈥檙e for everybody,鈥� Dr. Goodman says. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 not surprising that it鈥檚 male cosmetics at this point.鈥�

But the relationship goes both ways. As brands like CoverGirl discover the influence of social media, young people have more power than ever to 鈥渄ictate what gets sold to them and how it gets marketed to them,鈥� Dr. LaBennett says.

鈥淔or someone who studies youth culture,聽James Charles as the face of Covergirl聽demonstrates that youth have a great deal of agency in terms of influencing consumer culture. I think that鈥檚 a part of the story here, too.鈥�

And with that newfound influence, that generation鈥檚 values are becoming increasingly visible. James鈥檚 selection may be a reflection of that change.

鈥淲e鈥檙e at the cusp of potentially electing the first woman president of the United States, so we know that there鈥檚 a shift going on in terms of gender norms,鈥� LaBennett says. 鈥淲e know that there鈥檚 been an increased awareness of queer and trans people in our popular consciousness. It makes sense that in all aspects of American life, including the consumer realm, including cosmetics, we would see those shifts.鈥�

It鈥檚 unsurprising, then, that James himself appears to embody those shifts.

鈥淏reaking gender norms just comes instantly as soon as a boy is comfortable and confident enough to put on makeup. I think it鈥檚 so important to love who you are and be comfortable in your own skin,鈥� James told BuzzFeed.

In August, media outlets clamored over Jaden Smith鈥檚 new, gender-neutral fashion line 鈥淢SFTSrep.鈥� But the young celebrity didn鈥檛 seem to understand the fuss.

鈥淲e talked about it, but he was like 鈥榃hat鈥檚 the big deal?鈥� It鈥檚 going to filter up through the generations, but I think that鈥檚 really one of the hallmarks of the younger generation, this idea of fluidity,鈥� Goodman says.

It鈥檚 likely, LaBennett says, that Charles will be welcomed just as casually by his generational peers. But will more men follow his lead?

鈥淧eople of this age group are going to see James Charles as a perfectly legitimate CoverGirl, and I think that CoverGirl is smart to appeal to young people in this way,鈥� LaBennett says. 鈥淏ut I think CoverGirl also hopes that this means more men will wear and buy makeup. That just means more revenue for them.鈥�