Story at a glance
- Jonathan Van Ness shot to stardom after appearing in Netflix’s reboot of “Queer Eye” as the resident grooming expert.
- After becoming a well-known advocate for breaking gender stereotypes and fostering positive conversation around taboo topics such as HIV, Van Ness is the new Cosmopolitan UK cover star.
- Van Ness is the first non-female identifying solo cover for the magazine since Boy George 35 years ago.
It seems like just yesterday that Jonathan Van Ness first splashed across our small screens as the resident grooming expert on Netflix’s 2018 reboot of the smash hit “Queer Eye,” a heartwarming show that features “The Fab 5” sprucing up someone’s wardrobe and home while teaching them valuable life lessons along the way.
Since “Queer Eye” relaunched, JVN has gone on to author a memoir, host a podcast and smash gender norms on the red carpet dressed in Christian Siriano. This time Van Ness is bedecked in a bold, ruffled dress by the same inclusive designer to grace the glossy cover of Cosmopolitan UK — the first non-female identifying solo cover star they’ve had in 35 years (the first being Boy George who landed the cover in 1984).
The choice to feature Van Ness on the cover was a way to represent the magazine’s diverse readership, Cosmopolitan UK editor-in-chief Claire Hodgson told TIME. “Jonathan is warm, funny, opinionated, kind and brave, all qualities that resonate with our audience,” said Hodgson. “He is encouraging people to love who they are, which is at the heart of what our brand stands for — we could all do with a little more self-love in our lives.”
Van Ness, who identifies as non-binary and uses male pronouns, opened up to the publication about his recent memoir “Over The Top,” his decision to come out in a New York Times interview as HIV-positive and using his ever-expanding platform to promote social justice.
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