We’re used to seeing him wear groundbreaking looks on the red carpet, now Jonathan Van Ness is making headlines as Cosmopolitan’s first non-female cover star in 35 years.
Appearing on the January cover, the Queer Eye star looks every inch the fashion icon in a strapless peach tulle Cristian Siriano gown styled with navy Nike trainers and white ankle socks.
It’s not surprising the Netflix series’ grooming expert has been chosen for this honour.
Not only is he one-fifth of the Fab Five, JVN (as he’s known on Instagram) has gone from hairdresser and breakout TV star to fashion icon and activist, having revealed earlier this year that he is HIV positive.
To mark the momentous cover, here are five reasons Van Ness is a modern role model…
1. He promotes self-acceptance
While Van Ness’ official title on Queer Eye is ‘grooming expert’, the hairdresser’s role encompasses so much more than that. The 32-year-old told men’s grooming website Very Good Light that he was bullied and even received death threats as a teen because he, "was the very flamboyant kid and that was not the norm".
Having come through those difficult years, Van Ness regularly speaks out about being yourself, telling the ‘heroes’ made-over on Queer Eye that their uniqueness is their strength.
Loveable and brilliantly flamboyant, JVN is living proof that being yourself is always the best policy.
2. He teaches the importance of self-care
‘More than a makeover’ is the Queer Eye tagline, and Van Ness epitomises that idea. The grooming advice he gives isn’t all about changing how people look – although he’s a whizz with the scissors and has been responsible for some incredible transformations – it’s about how it makes them feel.
Most of the men who appear on the show spend very little time getting ready in the morning, but JVN advocates spending just 15 minutes on skincare or hair styling for a dose of valuable ‘me’ time, which can also offer a significant confidence boost, too.
3. He’s a fearless fashion icon
All of the Fab Five are seriously stylish, but JVN is by far the most fashion-forward of the lot. He’s part of a new wave of celebrities blurring the line between men’s and women’s fashion.
"Growing up, I definitely put on every nail polish, every heel, every scarf," he told Out magazine. "When I would play with those things, I knew it needed to be… behind closed doors."
Not any more. Van Ness can rock a red carpet gown like a Hollywood starlet and his crop top collection rivals the likes of Emily Ratajkowski or Bella Hadid.
4. He’s not defined by gender
While he’s been experimenting with feminine fashion for a while now, Van Ness spoke for the first time about being ‘nonbinary’ earlier this year, meaning he doesn’t identify with either male or female gender.
"I didn’t think I was allowed to be nonconforming or genderqueer or nonbinary — I was just always like ‘a gay man’ because that’s just the label I thought I had to be," he told Out. "I just am either like gender-bendy or nonconform-y or nonbinary and some days I feel like a boy and some days I feel like a girl," he said in typical JVN lingo.
5. He’s become an advocate for HIV awareness
In September this year, Van Ness revealed to the New York Times that he tested positive for HIV aged 25.
He has since been outspoken about the difficulties HIV-positive people face, such as getting access to affordable ART (antiretroviral) drugs in the US if you don’t have health insurance.
Van Ness wrote on Instagram that telling his story in his book Over The Top is "the most important opportunity I’ve ever had" and he hasn’t shied away from criticising President Donald Trump’s administration for the way it has impacted the LBTQ+ community.
"I didn’t ever picture myself sitting on your couch talking about undetectable equals untransmittable," he said on Jimmy Kimmel Live in October. "But I’ve been telling a lot of people to speak truth to power and I was like, ‘I think I have to take my turn to speak truth to power’."
