Edward Enninful: ‘Male models don’t come out for fear of not being perfect’

Edward Enninful has opened up about why he doesn’t think many male models come out as gay.
The British Vogue editor, who is openly gay, sat down for a chat with Attitude magazine and discussed his theory surrounding male sexuality in the fashion industry.
“It’s like Hollywood’s image of the perfect man, and this old notion of what it meant to be a man and that this perfect man couldn’t be gay. We know that’s wrong,” he mused.
Edward was appointed as the Vogue head in April 2017, succeeding long-serving editor Alexandra Shulman in the role.
Since taking the reins, British Vogue subscribers have gone up, with a 1.1 per cent increase in the combined digital and print circulation. Many attribute this to the Ghana-born star’s dedication to promoting diversity in the pages of the fashion glossy.
“I’ve never shied away from being black or gay… I want young kids to know It’s O.K. to be who you are. I want them to know what’s possible in the world. The world I want to create is where you don’t need to be somebody’s son or daughter to get ahead,” said Edward. “When you’re gay you’re always viewed as the ‘other’. You’re able to have empathy – to empathise with people and cultures. That’s why I’m able to be a man and be a stylist all these years and work with all the best women’s magazines and editors because I empathise.”
He added that he never thinks in terms of sex or gender, but rather in respect of what someone is capable of bringing to the table.