Cara Delevingne, Ariana DeBose, Cynthia Erivo, and 5 More LGBTQ+ Creatives Spread the Love

CARA DELEVINGNE

“Trans rights, women’s rights, they’re all human rights,” the 29-year-old model says. “It’s all of our jobs to stand up for each other and say something.” Cara Loves Karl T-shirt; karl.com. Manuel Albarran corset. Fashon Editor: Edward Enninful.

ARIANA DEBOSE

Earlier this year, DeBose, 31, became the first openly queer actor of color to win an Oscar. “This type of success is something you dream about,” she says. “but also the visibility it’s brought has given me an opportunity to speak up for all the things that I believe in as well as the communities that I’m a part of.” Colorful Standard tank top; us.colorfulstandard.com. Graham Cruz Studio belt.

JORDAN BARRETT

“I don’t really get why people have to explain themselves,” says the Australian-born model, 25, who came out to his fans as gay last year. “Some people think they deserve an explanation, like, ‘We’re owed this from you,’ and they’re not.” Gucci sweater; gucci.com. Manuel Albarran belt.

MUNROE BERGDORF 

The English model, activist, and television personality, 34, compares contemporary attacks on trans rights to the homophobia of the 1980s. “I’ve got to hope things can change,” she says. “It’s tough, but I do think that as awful as things are now, governmentally and politically, the consciousness of the U.K. is heading in the right way.”Alaïa jumpsuit; maison-alaia.com.

CYNTHIA ERIVO

“Rather than being chastised, we should be commended for being brave,” the 35-year-old singer and actor says of the queer community. “That’s the most important thing—giving people the space to show up fully as who they are.” Louis Vuitton jacket, shirt, pants, and tie; select Louis Vuitton stores. Hair, Earl Simms; makeup, Giselle Ali.

GOTTMIK

Before becoming the first trans man to compete on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Kade Gottlieb—known on stage as Gottmik—learned about queerness through fashion. “I was obsessed with Alexander McQueen and [John] Galliano and all these amazing visual people who told stories through their art,” the 25-year-old says. Alexander McQueen shirt and pants; alexandermcqueen.com

AWENG ADE-CHUOL

“I had to go to the library to learn about what [being queer] even meant, because it was not my community at all,” the South Sudanese-Australian model, 23, explains. And once she did? “I felt robbed. Robbed of freedom, robbed of spaces, tables I could’ve been a part of, experiences I could’ve experienced.” Schiaparelli corset bustier; Maison Schiaparelli 21 place Vendôme.

VALENTINA SAMPAIO

“Brazil is the country with the highest rate of transgender murders in the world,” says Sampaio, the 27-year-old model who, in 2017, became the first trans woman to cover Vogue Paris. If she could have any super power it would be “to plant the seed of love, acceptance and hope in people.” Valentino top and shorts; valentino.com. In this story: hair, Eugene Souleiman; makeup, Isamaya French. Details, see In this Issue.