Canadian model and entrepreneur Lauren Chan just made queer history — and it hit newsstands with a splash. She’s not just featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 2025 edition — she’s on the cover, solo, and out.
For Chan, 34, who came out publicly only a year ago in the magazine’s 2023 issue, the moment is about much more than glossy photos and designer swimwear. It’s a marker of visibility, pride, and — in her own words — “relief and community.”
A Long-Awaited First in Sports Illustrated History
It took 61 years for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit to put an out lesbian on a cover alone.
While Olympic legend Megan Rapinoe broke ground in 2019 as the first openly gay woman in the issue, and appeared on a group cover with fiancée Sue Bird last year, this is the first time the spotlight has belonged entirely to one out queer woman.
And it wasn’t something Chan saw coming. Not at all.
She shot her photo spread in Bermuda in March, with no idea she’d end up on one of four individual covers for the 2025 issue. The others? Salma Hayek Pinault, Olivia Dunne, and Jordan Chiles. Big names. Big company. Still, this one felt personal.
“I’m the first out lesbian on the cover — with her own cover — and how much that means to me makes that surprise feel so overwhelming,” Chan told People.
Representing the Margins — On Her Own Terms
Chan’s modeling career wasn’t built on trying to fit in. If anything, she made it by standing out.
Formerly a fashion editor at Glamour, Chan turned entrepreneur in 2018 when she launched Henning — a luxury clothing brand for plus-size professionals. It was acquired last year by Universal Standard. Her work has always orbited one central mission: visibility.
“Everything I’ve done in my career has been about showing up for people who feel left out,” Chan shared in her SI profile.
That includes women of size. Queer women. Anyone who’s ever felt pushed to the margins of fashion or media.
One quick scroll through her social media, and it’s clear — this isn’t a performative moment. It’s a full-circle one.
Bermuda Was the Backdrop, But the Moment Is Global
The photoshoot location, Bermuda, added natural beauty — cliffs, turquoise waters, sun-drenched beaches. But what gave it power was Chan’s presence, her ease, her ownership.
The camera doesn’t lie: she’s not trying to be anyone but herself.
• Chan wore pieces by queer designers and advocated for creative control during the shoot
• She credited the team for creating a space where she could “show up exactly as I am”
It shows. The images are soft, strong, celebratory. And they’re already being shared widely online — not just by fans, but by LGBTQ+ organizations, fashion publications, and visibility advocates.
Four Covers, One Powerful Theme: Redefining the Swimsuit Standard
Let’s break it down. Sports Illustrated released four covers for its 2025 swimsuit issue:
| Model | Notable Role | Representation Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Lauren Chan | Entrepreneur, LGBTQ+ trailblazer | First out lesbian to appear solo |
| Salma Hayek Pinault | Actor, director, producer | Representing beauty at 57 |
| Olivia Dunne | Influencer, former NCAA gymnast | Gen Z star power, athleticism |
| Jordan Chiles | Olympic medalist gymnast | Black excellence, elite sport crossover |
This isn’t a coincidence. It’s a clear message.
SI Swimsuit is expanding its definition of beauty, finally catching up with what many readers already know: the iconic swimsuit edition isn’t just about bodies — it’s about who gets seen.
And for 2025, a queer woman gets to be seen solo. Loudly.
A Personal Win, a Cultural Signal
For Chan, the weight of the moment hasn’t quite worn off.
She’s spoken openly about coming out in her 30s, about struggling with identity while growing up in Canada, and how fashion — especially plus-size fashion — wasn’t exactly queer-friendly for most of her career.
Now, she’s on arguably the biggest modeling platform in North America, and she’s not hiding anything. That’s got ripple effects, especially for LGBTQ+ kids and women looking for role models in mainstream media.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being seen. Being real. And that message’s already spreading.
More Than a Cover — It’s a Statement
Chan’s cover arrives at a time when LGBTQ+ rights and representation are under constant political and cultural scrutiny. From U.S. state legislatures to global fashion weeks, queer visibility is still hotly debated — even in 2025.
It’s not just magazine content — it’s content with consequence. It will live in bookstores, on coffee tables, in dorm rooms, on Instagram feeds. And each one will carry the image of a woman who is proudly, openly, joyfully herself.
