Paris Jackson Faces Heat Over Harper’s Bazaar Singapore Cover
The Cover Controversy
Paris Jackson – the 20‑year‑old daughter of the late pop icon Michael Jackson – launched a highly awkward moment when she appeared on the front page of the Singapore edition of Harper’s Bazaar. The photo, paired with a simple caption, “Honoured and grateful,” was posted on Instagram on Aug. 20 and later taken down. It sparked immediate backlash from readers and activists alike.
- August 20: Paris teases the September issue on Instagram, thanking supporters for the opportunity.
- Nicknamed “Honoured and grateful,” the cover image quickly surfaces online.
- Gays and LGBTQ community in Singapore are outraged. The region still criminalises sex between consenting adults of the same gender. This fact is lost on many, causing accusations of hypocritical behaviour.
- Gay Star News pulls an op‑ed and rails against the cover. “As a member of the community, her decision is all the more disappointing,” reads one editorial, and a link to the story is shared on Twitter.
- Paris responds. She issues a brief apology stating she was unaware of the country’s laws, deletes the Instagram post and tweets a promise: “I do not want to be hypocritical or hurt anyone; my support for the LGBTQ+ community comes first.”
- She defends herself. On a later tweet, she calls the Gay Star News piece “ridiculously mean,” clarifies that the cover was not exclusive to Singapore, and suggests it should be celebrated as a step forward.
- Fans rally. Followers on Twitter express empathy and offer fierce support, highlighting the importance of representation for those who might still identify as closeted.
Community Reactions
The debate is split between:
- Critics: Call her flaunting a global brand front as insurance for a local policy that still shines a wedge in the lives of the LGBTQ+ folks in Singapore.
- Supporters: Beat the arguments, stating that this exposure could inspire hope and empower the younger generation in a heavily real‑world conservative market.
Key Take‑Aways
- Marching past a cover can be double‑edged: raise awareness but also underline lack of knowledge.
- Paris acknowledges she dropped the wrong picture for the wrong reason – a humbling moment for an often‑celebrated “future star.”
- Clearly, representation is still a need – imagine a young queer soul in Singapore seeing a head‑lining model with the same gender‑identity she lives with: that can be a catalyst.
Break‑downs, apologies, and a new site to keep a watchful eye – that’s the entire saga for today. The story first appeared in The Straits Times and reproductions require permission.
