GQ Raises a Glass to Boygenius

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On November 16, 2023, in Los Angeles, California, acclaimed actor and filmmaker Dan Levy stepped on stage at GQ’s Men of the Year Award to honor one of the year’s most celebrated men. However, rather than the expected Tom Ford, Chris Hemsworth, or Jacob Elordi—men that embody the forever shifting yet somewhat unchanged sense of Western masculinity—Levy goes on to celebrate a much different group.

He sings the praises of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Rostandt and their collaborative album, Trio, before moving towards another iconic ‘trio’ of women artists in the making.

Levy raises a toast. “And so tonight, we bow down, by raising a glass [...] at GQ’s Men of the Year dinner, to three women. To Phoebe and Lucy and Julien and their now 6 time Grammy nominated boygenius.”

Boygenius, as perfectly surmised by Levy, is an American indie supergroup composed of musicians Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus that has been making music together since 2018. The band name itself is a subversion of male supremacy. 

As Bridgers explained in an interview with Vogue, “Men are taught to be entitled to space and that their ideas should be heard because they’re great ideas and women are taught the opposite. [...] So a ‘boygenius’ is someone who their whole life has been told that their ideas are genius.”

Indeed there is something both garishly masculine and undeniably feminine to the whole endeavor of boygenius. The members bring a playful perspective to gender wherever they go, adorning both austere suits and colorful dresses in their photoshoot with Rolling Stone.

The same fluidity is present in their music that draws on ‘classic dad rock and roll’ while having been produced by an entirely female team.

Boygenius also remains politically active, most notably protesting Tennessee’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws by performing in drag.

All this to say, to boygenius, gender is not an afterthought. It is both a foundational element and a delicate balancing act.

As put by Baker in the same Vogue interview regarding ‘girl groups,’ “someone’s gender can sort of categorize them as a genre and then sort of erase the rest of their stylistic qualities.” 

However, gender expression can also be a form of “visibility and representation [that is] so crucial to model.”

Boygenius' work against normative gender roles makes them appear as the antithesis of what GQ has historically represented. However, a surprising shift in GQ’s branding has aligned the two groups.

Since 1931, Gentleman’s Quarterly has been establishing itself as a giant in the men’s magazine industry. The magazine is no stranger to rebranding, changing its name to GQ in 1967 to appeal as a general men’s publication. However, its core messaging has mostly remained the same throughout the decades. 

Throughout the 20th and into the 21st century, GQ was truly made in celebration of the modern, metrosexual man, characterizing an individual within a post-industrial and capitalist society, emphasizing personal style, grooming, and overall appearance—think your David Beckhams.

However, the magazine experienced a major shift in 2018 with the naming of Will Welch as editor in chief who decisively moved the magazine in the direction of “new masculinity.” In a New York Times interview, Welch explained, “It was an important moment for us to do two things. [...] Reflect on this moment where the culture was demanding that men evolve, and lead; and show men what that evolution might look like.”

His new vision for the magazine is one that shows “different forms of self-expression, almost like a mood board, and let you find yourself in it.”

Since Welch’s naming, GQ’s messaging has seen a radical change. One key example is in 2021, when GQ editors released a “global manifesto” entitled Change is Good. 

Below a collage of various celebrities, the editors write, “Masculinity is a work in progress—and change is the way ahead. [...] With a renewed emphasis on diversity, gender equality, sustainability, and mental health, GQ will continue to push forward. Because change is good.”

GQ is clearly redefining itself as a diverse brand ahead of other men’s magazines. The inclusion of boygenius further demonstrates this shift in perspective on gender expression. However, given GQ’s history of rebranding and desire to stay on top of the cultural conversation, it is yet to be seen if this commitment to representation is genuine or superficial.

At this moment, GQ appears to be more invested in the “mood board” aesthetic of their publication, heavily featuring pop culture figures such as Kim Kardashian, Jacob Elordi, and Travis Scott, who lack major investment in socio-political movements. 

Regardless, in the evolving landscape of media and gender representation, the role of publications such as GQ is crucial. The magazine has the opportunity to be a trailblazer in redefining cultural norms and challenging stereotypes. As time goes on, it will be interesting to observe whether GQ’s commitment to different forms of self-expression extends beyond the pages of a magazine, truly embracing the complexities of contemporary identity.