Eight Magazine Covers That Challenge Gender Norms

The Talented Ms. Swinton’s fearless approach to fashion has sealed her a spot as one of the truly original style icons of our time. Here she channels her androgynous doppelgänger David Bowie, circa Thin White Duke, for that dapper-alien vibe.

James Franco, also known as the guy who feels compelled to do everything that has ever existed ever, was bound to show up in drag on the cover of something eventually. Candy got the honors last fall with Franco’s dominatrix-meets-socialite alter ego.

Songbird Florence Welch, who’s usually draped in long skirts and bohemian garb and belting out tunes with Florence and the Machine, finds her edge in tailored menswear and a red pompadour that gives Conan’s a run for its money.

Designer Marc Jacobs, pictured here wearing thigh-highs and heels, is no stranger to gender bending. He hired femimodel Andrej Pejic for his spring campaign and posed in cherry-red lips and nail polish for a NARS beauty book in 2009.

Transsexual model Lea T set off a media feeding frenzy when she appeared in Givenchy’s fall ad campaign last year. When the ads launched, Lea’s modeling agency was inundated with four hundred interview requests, and since then she has appeared twice in Vogue Paris, was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and landed two of three covers for Love’s androgyny issue.

Recognize this guy? His name is Joe Calderone, sometimes known as Lady Gaga, and you may have seen him on the VMAs performing the Fame Monster’s latest hit, “Yoü and I.” Apparently, he and Gaga dated.

No pancake makeup or fake eyelashes here; the editors of Love magazine figured the Biebs conjured their theme—androgyny—best as he is. Justin graced one of three covers for the androgyny issue. No word on whether he gets it …

Andrej Pejic’s bare chest ignited a firestorm of controversy last spring when Barnes and Noble and Borders allegedly attempted to censor this Dossier cover by requesting it be wrapped in opaque poly bags before hitting their shelves. The perpetually shirtless Matthew McConaughey must drive them crazy.