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Cosmopolitan UK Features The First Non-Female Model On Their Cover In 35 Years
When it comes to magazines like Cosmo, we’re expecting to get some saucy tips, celebrity news and takes on latest fashion trends. Oh, and a smiling woman dressed in some vibrant, fashion-forward garments. But as many things these days, the mold is breaking and history is taking a different turn. For this month’s issue, Cosmopolitan UK decided to go for a different approach in their image. Jonathan Van Ness is this month’s cover model and we can see why.
Van Ness is perhaps best known as the grooming expert on the Netflix series Queer Eye, a show that features 5 experts in their own categories transform people to make their lives easier and happier.
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This month’s Cosmo UK cover is making history with Jonathan Van Ness
Image credits: Cosmopolitan UK
Image credits: jvn
Rocking a pair of Nikes and a pastel Christian Siriano ruffled gown, Van Ness radiates glam and con-fi-donce. In the magazine’s 35-year run, he is the first non-female model to pose for the cover of Cosmopolitan UK. Just this summer Jonathan came out as a non-binary person with preferred gender pronouns he/him/his.
Image credits: Cosmopolitan UK
Image credits: CosmopolitanUK
The issue is set to be released on Thursday the 5th, however the online article has just dropped, revealing juicy details about the television personality.
Image credits: Cosmopolitan UK
Image credits: jvn
Image credits: jvn
In an interview with Amy Grier, Jonathan Van Ness discusses life, the stigma surrounding living with HIV, politics and more. He explains the latest drama surrounding the US presidential elections, how difficult it can be to balance people’s expectations, especially in the current climate where people might struggle to differentiate between his TV/online persona and his role as an LGBTQ+ activist.
Image credits: jvn
Image credits: jvn
Van Ness also talks about his book, a memoir titled Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love. In it, he tries to reiterate how he is a complex person with multiple sides to his personality. “When I’m having a bad day, everything feels rushed. I feel like I’m letting people down, biting off more than I can chew,” he tells Amy Grier. The book also touches upon his experiences of sexual compulsivity, substance abuse, and living with HIV for seven years.
Image credits: jvn
Image credits: jvn
Here’s how people reacted to Cosmo’s cover
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Pseudo Puppy 5 years ago
Food for thought: the are countries around the world, and eras within "western, christian" history, where: 1) men wear / wore skirts 2) men wear / wore makeup 3) men wear / wore heals Also worth noting that there are thousands of definitions of what "masculine" is, depending on the country / culture / income bracket / location / age / area of education / area of employment / overall demographic. It is literally impossible for one man (or any human), to please every single pre-requisite for what others think they "should" be. Oh.... and p.s. not so long ago, women were arrested / refused service / kicked out of businesses for wearing pants, as it was deemed "immoral", and yet pretty much every woman within western society has at least one pair of pants & it's now considered 100% normal. <3
Carol Emory 4 years ago
Thank you Pseudo Puppy! Well said! I'd like to add that, less than 200 years ago, pink was worn by men of royalty in Europe as it was considered a sign of power and money.
Load More Replies...
Reirei 5 years ago
I ask this out of ignorance/curiosity not malice, but I always thought he/him pronouns were for people who identify as male in some respect? And that the whole point of being non binary is to not identify as male or female, to not be defined by gender? Therefore shouldn't the pronouns be they/them or one of the slightly clunkier versions like xe/xir?
Alia G. 5 years ago
Non binary just means you don't strictly identify as male or female. This includes being gender fluid or self identified gender queer, so some non binary people still use cis pronouns. (Note that gender queer is an identity and is different than the slur)
Load More Replies...
Jeff Heinemann 5 years ago
When they announced they were bringing back Queer Eye back, my first thought was, not another pointless reboot! It's not necessary. OH how I was wrong! We needed to see it more than ever! Then I watched JVN for the first time and thought, he's just way too much. OH how I was wrong again! The light that that mine puts forth is amazing! I now can't get enough@
mcsa student 5 years ago
okay so i was scrolling through... and suddenly.. theres a razor ad that says "Wow that's a sexy razor" and i must be really tired or something because i laughed till i cried.....
Harrison Rose 5 years ago
JVN is a perfect example of a person coming from an extremely rough background who turned his life around for the better and uses his platform to inspire others to be themselves, take care of themselves, and express themselves however they want. (Read his memoir if you're curious about his past. Also, he came out as non-binary, but still uses he and him pronouns.) I think this is a great cover, and Queer Eye is a great show with excellent messages. Good for Cosmo!
Stille20 4 years ago
I haven't read one in a looonge time.. even as a strait woman, I never felt that it was for me... so I'm confused that they suddenly are like "oh we should include gender non conforming people and put a man on the cover"....but are they still turning out "hate your body / obsess about sex" content?
Avery Day 4 years ago
Same here. Straight cis-female. Only times I "read" Cosmo and its equivalent are when the hairdresser's ran out of computer-related magazines. (And I am not into cars)
Load More Replies...
pusheen buttercup 5 years ago
I'd just like to say that having a preference about pronouns and being sensitive about them are different, but I can see both sides as perfectly understandable. It's like being called Jerry when your name is John, but if people have been doing it your wholeeee life. (At least in my opinion, this example is not vastly different) you'll either get really annoyed- MY NAME IS JOHN!- or you'll be indifferent- eh, close enough? While I understand the reaction, I wouldn't go apeshit on someone for one time. But if you politely ask them not to call you Jerry, and they keep doing it- without saying sorry or explaining they forgot? Yeah that's rude. However, while some people are sensitive, whether justified or overly so, there is no point in being sensitive to people's sensitivity... Because that means you're being sensitive but not tolerating it from others.
Aarushi Shah 4 years ago
finally, took them long enough to realize that everyone is beautiful and/or handsome or whatever they want to be
Willa june Bonaparte 5 years ago
I love queer eye. Tis the greatest thing God has given to us.👌
Alexandrea Cummins 4 years ago
I think the best photo is the emmys one where he looks so FABULOUS, and the other guy looks slightly confused, like its adorable.
pusheen buttercup 5 years ago
Also this is not a snowflake generation problem. As long as there have been differences of any kind, (which is a very long time, hashtag YasGranny!) there have been people who are sensitive, as well as insensitive. There are problems with *both*.
Roberto Durante 5 years ago
OK I may be a man,NOOOOOOOT so fanatic with my GENDER, or just maybe forgot who I really am, even ask my mother could be the solution, have cosmopolitan investigate it?????
Alia G. 5 years ago
Non binary just means you don't strictly identify as male or female. This includes being gender fluid or self identified gender queer, so some non binary people still use cis pronouns. (Note that gender queer is an identity and is different than the slur)
Load More Replies...
June Clavelle 5 years ago
At the end of the day, he is on the cover of Cosmo, makes a ton of money, and is happy. You on the other hand, have named yourself "blahblah", which actually seems dead on. Find some happy.🏳️🌈😁🦄✌
Load More Replies...
Pseudo Puppy 5 years ago
Food for thought: the are countries around the world, and eras within "western, christian" history, where: 1) men wear / wore skirts 2) men wear / wore makeup 3) men wear / wore heals Also worth noting that there are thousands of definitions of what "masculine" is, depending on the country / culture / income bracket / location / age / area of education / area of employment / overall demographic. It is literally impossible for one man (or any human), to please every single pre-requisite for what others think they "should" be. Oh.... and p.s. not so long ago, women were arrested / refused service / kicked out of businesses for wearing pants, as it was deemed "immoral", and yet pretty much every woman within western society has at least one pair of pants & it's now considered 100% normal. <3
Carol Emory 4 years ago
Thank you Pseudo Puppy! Well said! I'd like to add that, less than 200 years ago, pink was worn by men of royalty in Europe as it was considered a sign of power and money.
Load More Replies... Reirei 5 years ago
I ask this out of ignorance/curiosity not malice, but I always thought he/him pronouns were for people who identify as male in some respect? And that the whole point of being non binary is to not identify as male or female, to not be defined by gender? Therefore shouldn't the pronouns be they/them or one of the slightly clunkier versions like xe/xir?
Alia G. 5 years ago
Non binary just means you don't strictly identify as male or female. This includes being gender fluid or self identified gender queer, so some non binary people still use cis pronouns. (Note that gender queer is an identity and is different than the slur)
Load More Replies... Jeff Heinemann 5 years ago
When they announced they were bringing back Queer Eye back, my first thought was, not another pointless reboot! It's not necessary. OH how I was wrong! We needed to see it more than ever! Then I watched JVN for the first time and thought, he's just way too much. OH how I was wrong again! The light that that mine puts forth is amazing! I now can't get enough@
mcsa student 5 years ago
okay so i was scrolling through... and suddenly.. theres a razor ad that says "Wow that's a sexy razor" and i must be really tired or something because i laughed till i cried.....
Harrison Rose 5 years ago
JVN is a perfect example of a person coming from an extremely rough background who turned his life around for the better and uses his platform to inspire others to be themselves, take care of themselves, and express themselves however they want. (Read his memoir if you're curious about his past. Also, he came out as non-binary, but still uses he and him pronouns.) I think this is a great cover, and Queer Eye is a great show with excellent messages. Good for Cosmo!
Stille20 4 years ago
I haven't read one in a looonge time.. even as a strait woman, I never felt that it was for me... so I'm confused that they suddenly are like "oh we should include gender non conforming people and put a man on the cover"....but are they still turning out "hate your body / obsess about sex" content?
Avery Day 4 years ago
Same here. Straight cis-female. Only times I "read" Cosmo and its equivalent are when the hairdresser's ran out of computer-related magazines. (And I am not into cars)
Load More Replies... pusheen buttercup 5 years ago
I'd just like to say that having a preference about pronouns and being sensitive about them are different, but I can see both sides as perfectly understandable. It's like being called Jerry when your name is John, but if people have been doing it your wholeeee life. (At least in my opinion, this example is not vastly different) you'll either get really annoyed- MY NAME IS JOHN!- or you'll be indifferent- eh, close enough? While I understand the reaction, I wouldn't go apeshit on someone for one time. But if you politely ask them not to call you Jerry, and they keep doing it- without saying sorry or explaining they forgot? Yeah that's rude. However, while some people are sensitive, whether justified or overly so, there is no point in being sensitive to people's sensitivity... Because that means you're being sensitive but not tolerating it from others.
Aarushi Shah 4 years ago
finally, took them long enough to realize that everyone is beautiful and/or handsome or whatever they want to be
Willa june Bonaparte 5 years ago
I love queer eye. Tis the greatest thing God has given to us.👌
Alexandrea Cummins 4 years ago
I think the best photo is the emmys one where he looks so FABULOUS, and the other guy looks slightly confused, like its adorable.
pusheen buttercup 5 years ago
Also this is not a snowflake generation problem. As long as there have been differences of any kind, (which is a very long time, hashtag YasGranny!) there have been people who are sensitive, as well as insensitive. There are problems with *both*.
Roberto Durante 5 years ago
OK I may be a man,NOOOOOOOT so fanatic with my GENDER, or just maybe forgot who I really am, even ask my mother could be the solution, have cosmopolitan investigate it?????
Alia G. 5 years ago
Non binary just means you don't strictly identify as male or female. This includes being gender fluid or self identified gender queer, so some non binary people still use cis pronouns. (Note that gender queer is an identity and is different than the slur)
Load More Replies... June Clavelle 5 years ago
At the end of the day, he is on the cover of Cosmo, makes a ton of money, and is happy. You on the other hand, have named yourself "blahblah", which actually seems dead on. Find some happy.🏳️🌈😁🦄✌
Load More Replies...
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