"Your voice matters. The truth of who you know yourselves to be matters. The truth will set you free." – this is Cox’s message in her exclusive COSMOPOLITAN interview aimed at the LGBTQI+ community in South Africa.

The cover and six-page feature were captured by photographer Marc Baptiste, on location at Yotel New York in December 2017. Baptiste has photographed Hollywood A-listers including Barack Obama, Pharrell Williams, and Beyoncé.

In the world exclusive, the Emmy award-winning producer, front-woman of Beyoncé’s Ivy Park clothing line, and host of Kim Kardashian’s new reality show Glam Masters, reveals her celebrity crush and the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for her.

In the hand-written interview, Cox tells readers about her first kiss and discusses the things she wants readers to know about transgender people. According to Cox, #SayYesToLove means 'leaning into the vulnerability required to really love someone and yourself'.



COSMOPOLITAN South Africa editor-in-chief, Holly Meadows, says, "We wanted to disrupt hetero-normative ideas around February and Valentine’s Day and look at love in 2018 – including acceptance of self, others, and non-binary relationships."

"Our goal was to play a small part in providing visibility for the LGBTQI+ community, of which Laverne has become a revolutionary icon. Cox is the world’s most vocal trans poster girl and an activist for the intersection of race, class, and gender identities, challenging toxic masculinity, white supremacy, and the misrepresentation of trans people. For us at COSMO, love – at least for this issue – is celebrating Laverne as the fun, fearless female she is," adds Meadows.

On the cover, Cox wears a custom bodysuit by South African designer Tracy B, with makeup by her friend Deja Smith, and hair by Bradley Irons.

This is the fourth time in the last year and a half that COSMPOLITAN South Africa has travelled to the United States to shoot a world exclusive cover, following the trail of Amber Rose, Blac Chyna, and Ciara.

You can purchase a digital or print copy of the issue worldwide here.

For more information, visit www.cosmopolitan.co.za. You can also follow COSMOPOLITAN South Africa on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Join the conversation by using the #COSMOxLaverne or #SayYesToLove hashtags.