Jaden Smith, actor, model and child of Will Smith, will be the first male to pose on the cover of Nylon magazine alone in the publication’s 17 year history.
The 17-year-old has transcended masculine norms with his gender-bending style, posting photos of himself wearing skirts and nail polish to his Instagram account. He can also be seen modeling them for Louis Vuitton’s women’s line.
“So, you know, in five years when a kid goes to school wearing a skirt, he won’t get beat up and kids won’t get mad at him,” the young model told Nylon. “I’m taking the brunt of it so that later on, my kids and the next generations of kids will all think that certain things are normal that weren’t expected before my time.”
If there’s one thing Smith learned from his superstar parents, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, it’s to remain true to himself. Although his father initially wasn’t too supportive of his son’s gender fluid style, he said that he admires his confidence.
“The greatest lesson I’ve learned from my parents is to be myself, at all costs, no matter what anybody thinks,” says the young actor.
The August issue of Nylon will hit stands in two weeks.