On October 29, 2025, Vogue released their most recent controversial article. “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?”. By Chanté Joseph. Chanté Joseph, a 29 year old journalist, is known as a host and was named one of the 24 most influential people under the age of 24 on Bristol. Reading her article however, made me turn my head on her opinions and words. 

The article starts off with the history of dating, and how women would stay with men for “financial support” which was very common back then. She goes on to say how instead of “hard-launching” a relationship, women started to soft-launch; is short for letting people figure out if you’re taken or not/who the person is. Like a hand on the thigh or on the back of someone’s head in the mirror. Essentially, something you would post without the guy’s face. 

 Joseph’s  opinion about how she sometimes follows girls just to find out they’re in “boyfriend land” which is her definition of “a world where women’s online identities are centered around the lives of their partners…”. Makes me wonder… was this article written to make girls realize that being “obsessed” or “in love” with their boyfriend is a bad thing??? Joseph then goes on to state the fact that she feels like girls want to be in “both worlds” where you can have the status of being “taken” and not being “boyfriend-obsessed”. 

In my opinion, I believe that girls are becoming more independent and don’t want to be “boyfriend obsessed” because they have more important things to focus on. 

I was really set on this article being a powerful wake-up call to girls, telling them that you don’t need a romantic partner just to feel confident. This article disappointed me at the end of the day, because I don’t believe having a boyfriend is embarrassing. Of course, it would be different if he treats you awful and doesn’t care about you, but we all know it can go both ways.