This figure represents the total number of people of color on magazine covers by year.
In calculating this figure, we counted each issue—no matter how many models shared a cover or how many split covers were printed—as one. So, for example, a cover that featured one person
of color alongside three white people counted as 0.25. The same math was applied to split covers: if two of the four cover options featured people of color, we counted that as 0.50 covers.
THE RAW DATA
Magazine covers can be lots of things—provocative, predictable, sexy, vapid, even heroic—but one thing they haven’t been is diverse. Historically, glossy magazines have cycled through a familiar roster of white actors for their various covers, with the occasional deviation for a musician, comedian, or athlete. When Kerry Washington appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2013, she was the first black woman to
appear on that cover since Beyonce in 2005. That was 100 covers without a single black woman. Lately though, American magazines are starting to look like America.
Words by Mark Healy
research by Alyssa Mercante & Tom Devoto
Design by ceros inspire
the great
awokening
For years, glossy magazine covers were dominated
by straight, white celebrities. Finally, they’re starting to look more like the rest of us. We reviewed ten
years of covers from nine well-known magazines to take stock of how times—and tones—have changed.
44.32%
9.17%
32.57%
23.42%
57.22%
28.57%
58.49%
20%
41.4%
18%
52.93%
13%
45.98%
23.63%
52.10%
13%
34.52%
12.89%
39.69%
33.33%
2012-2016
2017-2021
Percentage of cover models that identify as non-white over five-year periods.
an INclusivity increase
Decade
update!
Take a look at the marked shift in the glossy magazines over the past decade. A few of these titles didn’t need a “woke-up”—in particular, GQ and InStyle which featured a consistently diverse mix of cover subjects throughout the decade. Others, however, seem to have just become aware of a world beyond Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, and they’re racing to make up for years of inequity. Take Harper’s Bazaar, for example, whose covers featured exactly one Black woman, Rihanna, in a five-year stretch from August ‘12 to September ‘16, This year, four of their nine covers included a Black woman.
0.25
2012
2.25
2013
0.5
2014
2.25
2015
0.25
2016
3.87
2017
4.23
2018
Vanity Fair
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
2.33
2012
2
2013
2.72
2014
3
2015
4
2016
4.57
2017
5
2018
Vogue
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
3.82
2012
3.86
2013
3
2014
3.4
2015
3.06
2016
6.05
2017
4.58
2018
GQ
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
2
2012
1
2013
1
2014
3
2015
5
2016
6
2017
7
2018
Allure
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
1
2012
2.16
2013
3
2014
1.66
2015
3
2016
5
2017
4.94
2018
Glamour
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
1
2012
3
2013
0
2014
1
2015
1.5
2016
3.75
2017
6
2018
Harper's Bazaar
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
2
2012
3.33
2013
2.5
2014
1.25
2015
5.1
2016
3.92
2017
4.6
2018
ELLE
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
2
2012
1
2013
1.2
2014
1.2
2015
2.4
2016
3
2017
3.5
2018
Marie Claire
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
1.5
2012
1
2013
0
2014
2.33
2015
2
2016
3
2017
2
2018
Esquire
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
4
2012
3
2013
1
2014
5
2015
7
2016
2.75
2017
6
2018
InStyle
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
5.33
2019
7.66
2020
5.5
2021
What titles hold the dubious distinction of overlooking (or outright
disregarding) diversity? These magazines had notably long streaks of issues
that didn’t feature a single person of color.
Diversity Droughts
16 MONTHS
April 2015 - Aug 2016
11 MONTHS
Oct 2012 - Sept 2013
17 MONTHS
Sept 2013 - Feb 2015
12 MONTHS
April 2014 - April 2015
12 MONTHS
July 2012 - July 2013
An
Inclusivity Increase
These figures represent the total percentage of non-white cover
subjects amongst our set of nine magazines from 2012 through 2021.
diversity over time
Here’s how we determined the cover subjects by race: If a celebrity identified themselves as non-white, then so did we. So, for example, Demi Lovato's father is of Mexican descent, so we counted them as non-white. Dwayne Johnson is Pacific Islander and African American, so he’s also considered non-white. Ultimately, it’s a magazine cover, so perception trumps a complex reading of race. Here’s how the U.S. Census defines it.
What does
non-white mean?
3.66
2019
4.66
2020
4.75
2021
6.5
2019
6.66
2020
6.66
2021
5
2019
5
2020
8
2021
4.5
4.5
2020
5.6
2021
2019
3.66
2019
8
2020
6.28
2021
6.82
2019
5
2020
3
2021
4
2019
3.5
1
2021
4.2
2019
4.66
2020
5.91
2021
2020
41.4%
18%
39.69%
33.33%
34.52%
12.89%
52.10%
13%
45.98%
23.63%
52.93%
13%
58.49%
20%
57.22%
28.57%
32.57%
23.42%
44.32%
9.17%
2012-2016
2017-2021
Percentage of a title’s covers that include a non-white subject.
an INclusivity increase
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2020
2021
2019
10%
20%
30%
50%
60%
70%
80%
17.81%
19.57%
10.53%
21.39%
28.71%
43.48%
46.46%
34.75%
60.93%
54.69%
“The racial categories included in the census questionnaire generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country and not an attempt to define race biologically, anthropologically, or genetically. People may choose to report more than one race to indicate their racial mixture.
Although non-white covers are increasing, the total number of issues is simultaneously decreasing. Our nine mags ran only 82 issues in 2021, compared to 105 issues in 2012.
Click titles
for results
40%
Vogue,
September 2018
Not every cover subject has the clout to pick their own photographer, but Beyoncé can (and did). She selected
23-year-old Tyler Mitchell, the first Black photographer
to shoot a Vogue cover in the magazine’s 125-year history.
Vanity fair,
September 2020
Painter Amy Sherald, who painted First Lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait, depicted the 26-year-old Taylor, who was killed in her home by Louisville police officers.
Vanity fair,
March 2015
Of the nine actors on this annual gatefold issue of Hollywood’s
biggest stars, eight were caucasian. A few weeks after this debuted, #OscarsSoWhite trended on Twitter.
GQ,
December 2017
GQ devoted one of its four Men of the Year covers to return cover star, Collin Kaepernick, whose defiance cost him his job and energized a social justice movement.
Elle,
February 2014
Sometimes, even inclusive covers can be exclusionary. Elle’s “Women in TV’ issue had four unique covers, but only Mindy Kaling, the one non-white honoree, appeared in black-and-white.
Take a look at the marked shift in the glossy magazines over the past decade. A few of these titles didn’t need a “woke-up”—in particular, GQ and InStyle which featured a consistently diverse mix of cover subjects throughout the decade. Others, however, seem to have just become aware of a world beyond Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, and they’re racing to make up for years of inequity. Take Harper’s Bazaar, for example, whose covers featured exactly one Black woman, Rihanna, in a five-year stretch from August ‘12 to September ‘16, This year, four of their nine covers included a Black woman.
September 2013
Full Cover
Click a cover to learn the historical context behind each image
Magazine covers can be lots of things—provocative, predictable, sexy, vapid, even heroic—but one
thing they haven’t been is diverse. Historically, glossy magazines have cycled through a familiar roster
of white actors for their various covers, with
the occasional deviation for a musician, comedian, or athlete. When Kerry Washington appeared on the
cover of Vanity Fair in 2013, she was the first black
woman to appear on that cover since Beyonce
in 2005. That was 100 covers without a single black woman. Lately though, American
magazines are starting to look like America.
Decade update!
Words by Mark Healy
research by Alyssa Mercante & Tom Devoto
Design by ceros inspire
For years, glossy magazine covers were dominated
by straight, white celebrities. Finally, they’re starting to look more like the rest of us. We reviewed ten years of covers from nine well-known magazines to take stock
of how times—and tones—
have changed.
the great
awokening
click an image below to see how five covers capture a moment in time—and
tell the story
of an industry's evolution.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
Total number of non-white cover subjects since 2012.
These figures represent the total percentage of non-white cover
subjects amongst our set of nine magazines from 2012 through 2021.
diversity over time
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
17.81%
19.57%
10.53%
21.39%
28.71%
34.75%
46.46%
43.48%
54.69%
60.93%
Vogue,
September 2018
Not every cover subject has the clout to pick their own photographer, but Beyoncé can (and did). She selected
23-year-old Tyler Mitchell, the first Black photographer
to shoot a Vogue cover in the magazine’s 125-year history.
Vanity fair,
September 2020
Painter Amy Sherald, who painted First Lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait, depicted the 26-year old Taylor, who was killed in her home by Louisville police officers.
Vanity fair,
March 2015
Of the nine actors on this annual gatefold issue of Hollywood’s
biggest stars, eight were caucasian. A few weeks after this debuted, #OscarsSoWhite trended on Twitter.
GQ,
December 2017
GQ devoted one of its four Men of the Year covers to return cover star, Collin Kaepernick, whose defiance cost him his job and energized a social justice movement.
Elle,
February 2014
Sometimes, even inclusive covers can be exclusionary. Elle’s “Women in TV’ issue had four unique covers, but only Mindy Kaling, the one non-white honoree, appeared in black-and-white.
Although non-white covers are increasing, the total number of issues is simultaneously decreasing. Our nine mags ran only 82 issues in 2021, compared to 105 issues in 2012.
