I disagree, I feel like this is an attempt to inject emotion and empathy into a topic that usually garners hostility. Think of the people usually reading The Wallstreet Journal: it’s not anyone young you imagine, perhaps someone with terms like “commies” still in lingo from the 70s and 80s?
I read this as an attempt to humanize a group that their target audience would usually alienate. The photos help with generating those emotions.
Yeah, none of this is based in reality dude. Look at our movie stars, any magazine, and people on TV. This shit isn’t normalized.