In a historic moment for queer visibility, model and entrepreneur Lauren Chan has become the first out lesbian to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
The 34-year-old Canadian, a former Glamour fashion editor and founder of plus-size brand Henning, made queer history with her cover debut, but her journey to pride took time. In her essay for Vogue, Chan revealed that she was married to a man, but she discovered that her sexuality would take her life in a different direction,
“Until I started therapy in my 30s, there was no convincing evidence that I had been mistaken.”
The essay was released during her Swimsuit Issue debut in 2023. She reflected on queer-coded memories — like loving Xena: Warrior Princess and blasting “I Kissed a Girl” on MySpace — but it wasn’t until the COVID-19 lockdown that everything clicked. Today, Chan is unapologetically vocal about her identity: She said,
“I consider my pride hard fought, and that’s why I’m so outspoken about it.”
Inspired by others like Reneé Rapp, Chan now hopes to be the visibility she needed in her youth. Rapp came out as lesbian on SNL during a sketch last year, and also posted on Twitter
“if I say I’m a lesbian I am a lesbian and if someone says they’re bi they are bi… I’ve had enough of you witches.”
By stepping into the spotlight, Lauren Chan is not just making history, she is showing lesbians everywhere that pride can bloom at any time.
