Alex Hern

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GQ's men of the year covers - spot the odd one out

"One of these things is not like the others."

By Alex Hern Published 05 September 2012 12:15

GQ has done a special series of five covers for their "Men of the Year" awards. See if you can spot the odd one out:

Hat tip to The Times' Kat Brown for the spot.

UPDATE 07/0972012 10:30

It just gets worse. Check out the striking similarity between Lana Del Rey's "woman of the year" cover pose and the above image, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, comes from a 1970s porn poster. Shame on you, GQ.

Fantagraphics are shortly to put out a coffee table book of posters like this - more details here.

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View the discussion thread.

29 comments

Wed, 2012-11-14 01:06 — Johnson21 (not verified)

Sorry but no one wants to see a dude in that pose with his junk hanging out all over the place.

Sat, 2012-09-15 04:33 — Ana katerine (not verified)

well,it´s scaring to read such alot of sexist comments here...so,a naked women in contrast with dressed men is not aproblem? Really? how about if it was a women of your family? how about women of your family suffer sexism violence because of the way media represents women? Are you guys that stupid or it´s just a try to be "fun" when it´s never fun to discriminate half of the planet´s population?
very disgusting!!

Fri, 2012-09-07 22:59 — Usherwood (not verified)

I see a Tory won politician of the year, again. Dylan Jones is so desperate for that safe Tory seat in a few years time. GQ is like the Conservative party manifesto these days.

Mind you it is a magazine aimed at middle aged bores, which explains a lot.

Fri, 2012-09-07 16:52 — Matt W (not verified)

That pose was also like one that appeared in the Famous 5 TV Series.

They must be paedophiles as well !

Is there a chance of you getting a grip, Alex, at least slightly?

Thu, 2012-09-06 14:58 — Lady Zombie (not verified)

I really don't mind that men's magazines have attractive women in them for their readership to look at, but seriously, the Lana Del Rey cover does have unpleasant connotations. The men on the other covers are being celebrated for their accomplishments. They all look confident and in control. Wealthy and powerful.

Del Rey, on the other hand, is naked and sitting on the ground. It implies that she is only valued for her sexuality and subordination.

Again, I have no issue with GQ deciding to choose an attractive woman, or at least one who they have decided is the most attractive woman, but could they have celebrated her by allowing her to remained clothed and the dignity to stand? Do they think that women must be naked and vulnerable to be attractive? I'm willing to grant that most of their male readership doesn't think so, so why impose that value on them?

Thu, 2012-09-06 10:29 — Raven (not verified)

They all look out and out dated poses to me. The old dude is too old to be considered powerful or handsome, the black KID he's so young, at least comes off as if he is cool and has money. Lana has to have black text she's so light it wouldn't show well... if it was WHITE text... what she has to do with Q Mag is beyond me. They all look like ordinary people who took a cab to get there.

Thu, 2012-09-06 09:11 — Aran Bailey (not verified)

OMG all of the Men have White text and Lana has Black text!!!

Thu, 2012-09-06 10:31 — Raven (not verified)

Beause she is naked and her skin soft glowing caucassion... WHITE TEXT would not show across her body as well as the black or red or gold they could have used.

Thu, 2012-09-06 02:52 — jiao (not verified)

This. >> albinwonderland.tumblr.com/post/30953387308/kreugan-froontherun-replied-to-your-post-wow

Excerpt: "The problem here is GQ’s decisions and how they portray an ‘ideal man’ as a powerhouse in both work and sex, while the ‘ideal woman’ is shown as prone and naked on the floor, with zero other indicators to mark her as ‘successful’."

Thu, 2012-09-06 09:22 — beksibub (not verified)

apart from the diamonds, sapphires, facial plastic surgery and perfectly styled hair.....

Thu, 2012-09-06 02:04 — AndAndAnd (not verified)

Men's magazines objectify women? Wow, what a ground breaking news story. Right up there with the battle at gettysburg and the invention of the cotton gin.

Wed, 2012-09-05 19:18 — pajh (not verified)

It's James Corden, because all the others are worthwhile human beings.

Wed, 2012-09-05 19:08 — Shannon (not verified)

So GQ has the one female stripped naked and basically huddling in a corner and the one gay guy with women's hands all over him.

Welcome to the 1940s...

Wed, 2012-09-05 18:00 — Barney (not verified)

Why don't they put Prince Harry on the cover in all his naked glory? He apparently has no problem with being photographed nude. The other dudes there are just cowards who don't dare to take off their ridiculous penguin costumes.

Wed, 2012-09-05 16:20 — Billy1234 (not verified)

GC is aimed at men, men generally like looking at pictures of naked women, not other naked men.

Cosmo also has a centerfold every month which is a naked man, because the magazine is aimed at women , who generally prefer looking at naked men.

Both genders objectify each other. Let's all get over ourselves.

Fri, 2012-09-07 04:30 — V. (not verified)

Well if everyone objectifies, it must be okay.

The irony is, GQ (a men's magazine) is objectifying Lana on that cover, but surprise, Cosmo (a women's magazine) objectifies women on every single one of their covers. That doesn't seem a little off to you? Women are objectified in the media far more than men. It's ridiculous to try to reason that it's even remotely balanced.

Wed, 2012-09-05 16:00 — plain john snith (not verified)

As far as I can see, the whole of the New Statesman's output, especially that of Alex Hern, consists of non stories these days. No wonder no one buys it.

Wed, 2012-09-05 21:20 — inane John Snith (not verified)

but you read it....interesting.

Get your free (non) stories, add (inane) comments, continue adding nothing to society.

Have a good life.

Wed, 2012-09-05 15:42 — Will Shetterly (not verified)

The men are wearing ties, and the woman is wearing a necklace.

Do I get a prize?

Wed, 2012-09-05 15:32 — pechota (not verified)

Erm... James Corden is the only one with four hands?

Wed, 2012-09-05 15:05 — Seth (not verified)

Lana Del Ray in a tuxedo would've made a great cover.

Unimaginative creative director is unimaginative.

Wed, 2012-09-05 14:46 — Slackbladder (not verified)

Only one of them is black?
Only one of them has grey hair?
Only one is fat? (Ok two if you count Robbie)...

I give up...

Wed, 2012-09-05 14:02 — Michael Opperman (not verified)

I hav a maazine wit pcture of my ass on it!!

Wed, 2012-09-05 13:22 — Sam Masihpour (not verified)

Men's magazines like this one are always full of overt sexism. They hate women's voices. They want women to ogle at and never to listen to. They are dangerous, polluting young men's minds.
Many men are scared of women's voices, they are cowards.

Fri, 2012-09-07 05:24 — mum61e (not verified)

That horrible shrilling noise that goes on and on and can't be stopped? Yes, we hate it: even a whistling kettle can be unplugged.

And don't confuse "scared" with "given up waiting to hear sense".

Mon, 2012-09-10 10:43 — Derrington (not verified)

Yes, you sound exactly like a member of the National Front villifying black people's opinions because of their big lips ... and women's opinions because of their 'shrill' little voices ... how easy to concentrate on the person's appearance rather than examine the content of what they say. Why don't you piss off back to your on line porn site and lose yourself in masturbating to bitch/ho hate material. You'll be locking us up in gas chambers next.