‘Queer Eye’ star Jonathan Van Ness first non-female to grace cover since Boy George

December 02, 2019

Can you believe?

“Queer Eye” grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness, 32, not only graces the just-released January cover of Cosmopolitan UK — but is the first non female to do so since Boy George appeared on the glossy in 1984.

The Netflix star couldn’t wait to share the news, posting an image of the cover on his Instagram of his look: a peach-tone frock designed by “Project Runway” winner Christian Siriano, who’s known for crafting looks for a variety of sizes and gender expressions.

“My body is ready,” says Van Ness, whose September-published “Over the Top” memoir revealed his HIV-positive status. In the piece, he shares how sharing his status has turned him into an activist.

“This is only the beginning,” he tells Cosmo. “I’m quickly realizing that there is still so much misunderstanding, so much sensationalizing of living with HIV. The stigma and the difficulty around the process of getting treatment is creating that. My work has only really just begun.”

Jonathan Van Ness
Jonathan Van NessCosmopolitan UK / Rachell Smith

In a June interview with Out Magazine, the Illinois native also came out as gender nonbinary, though he prefers to use male pronouns.

Van Ness has also become a champion of self care. But he says it’s not always easy to prioritize his “me” time — especially now that he’s got friends in higher places.

“The other day, Taylor [Swift] and I were making soup and she asked me to go to a Madonna concert with her,” he says. “That was the day before my 5 a.m. flight to London to come here for this shoot and my tour. I knew it would be an amazing experience. But I have to prioritize self-care. Because if I don’t then my candle will burn out.”

Van Ness is no stranger to wearing dresses. In September, for instance, he wore a hot-pink Rochas gown to the 2019 Netflix Creative Arts Emmys after party.

The cover shoot also shows Van Ness wearing Nike sneakers and blue–and-red-striped tube socks.

The magazine’s cover has already earned Van Ness rounds of online applause from his 4.8 million Instagram followers.

“LOOK AT OUR LITTLE BABY,” says Bobby Berk, Van Ness’s “Queer Eye” co-star.

“Congrats babe this is MAJOR,” writes Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy.

The January issue of Cosmopolitan is on sale December 5.

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