The Internet is Loving Jonathan Van Ness' Cosmopolitan Cover and You Need To Know Why

Jonathan Van Ness is helping to kick off the new decade with a bang and we are simply loving it, honey. 

Cosmospolitan UK are starting the new year (and new decade!) off with a bang. For the January 2020 issue, the British Fashion magazine ‘will feature Queer Eye’s beloved grooming pro Jonathan Van Ness.’  

‘According to JVN, who identifies as non-binary and uses male pronouns, its the first time in 35 years that the magazine has had someone who isn’t a woman on the cover’. 

If this is what the fashion world is bringing us in 2020 we simply can not wait. As Refinery 29 says: ‘especially because Van Ness looks like a sherbet dream, wearing a delectable custom Christian Siriano peach-colored gown, athletic socks, and Nike running sneakers. Siriano has made a name for himself largely by creating clothing for people usually ignored by major designers, it’s a match made in heaven.’ 

JVN is all for pushing the boundaries of what it means to be non-binary today, just look at his inclusive partnerships with nail polish brand Essie.  

In an interview with Out magazine last June JVN that although he uses “he/him” pronouns, he doesn’t identify as a man. ‘Like, some days I feel like a man, but then other days I feel like a woman,’ he said. ‘I think my energies are really all over the place. Any opportunity I have to break down stereotypes of the binary, I am down fr t, I am here for it.’ What better way for him to spread this message than the upcoming cover of Cosmo! 

JVN posted a picture of the cover on his Instagram the caption reading ‘My body is ready 💗 1st non Female cover star of @cosmopolitanuk in 35 YEARS 🏳️‍🌈’ 

‘I’ve been wearing heels and wearing makeup and wearing skirts and stuff for a minute, honey. I just, like didn’t know that that meant - that I had a title’ the reality star told Out back in June. ‘I didn’t really put that together with ‘gender nonconforming’ or ‘non-binary’ or owning that as an identity until recent[ly], because I think I just thought that I loved skirts and heels’. 

Refinery 29 makes the valid point that ‘mainstream media tends to stumble over how to genuinely write about the future of gender and fashion - like that Vogue magazine story which featured Gigi Hadid and her-then boyfriend Zayn Maalik to “highlight the impact the gender-fluid, non-binary communities have had on fashion and culture.” So it’s refreshing to see what happens when magazines let people simply just be. In this case, it looks like JVN, an HIV/AIDs activist, posing for a magazine cover wearing an inclusive designer ball gown with sneakers.’  

We are not the only ones loving this cover, here are what some of the other Queer Eye cast had to say about it: 

Tan France made his excitement know by the use of caps lock, writing: "THIS IS SO AWESOME, JACKAAAAAYYY!!! I’M OVER THE MOON FOR YOU, AND YOU LOOK AMAZING! ❤️."

"It certainly is," Antoni Porowski wrote, while Bobby Berk shared, "LOOK AT OUR LITTLE BABY!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️."

Here are some more reactions. 

Let us know who else you would love to see on a cosmo cover in the comments below!