“The real issue here, of course, is economics,” wrote Geoffrey Macnab for The Independent on the topic of gay Hollywood, following Jodie Foster’s coming out speech at the Golden Globes in 2013. “Gay and lesbian directors, producers, studio heads and supporting actors can be open about their sexuality as long as it doesn't get in the way of the work.” The subtext: modern cinema is built on clear cut tropes around sex and gender: if you’re an actor known for playing the romantic hero, or a bombshell actress seen as fodder for the male gaze, coming out could get in the way of that. The target audience of The Expendables franchise might shift slightly if its hyper-masculine, oiled up bro team (Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Statham etc) decided to come out of the closet. 

The same is true in fashion, but for models, work is even more closely tied to their off camera lives and personalities than acting: more and more, their social media presences – a vital negotiating factor when it comes to contracts – are expected to be constantly updated, a 24/7 curation of their personal brand. As Premier Model Management founder Carole White explained in a recent Dazed interview, social media “is changing how advertising is done; it’s changing how we evaluate how much a job is worth...Followers have become a currency.” The allure of personality is bigger than ever in the age of Instagram: you only need to look at someone like bleach blonde overnight superstar Lucky Blue Smith (and his 900k followers) to see how valuable a savvy social presence can be. There’s a pressure for gay models to keep their sexuality a secret, in case coming out could lose them work. 

Only a few months in, and 2015 has already proved to be a groundbreaking year in terms of casting, with models like Hari Nef, Lineisy Montero and Bhumika Arora kickstarting discussions around gender identity and diversity (Nef has been a strong voice for trans representation in fashion, while Montero has been credited with bringing natural afro hair back to the catwalks and Arora has made waves as one of fashion’s only Indian models). The idea of ‘what makes a model’ is changing, and Jarlos aren’t the only LGBTQ models to being proud of their sexuality, no matter the potential consequences. Last year Cara Delevingne publicly offered support to National Coming Out Day, repping queer photo project Self Evident Truths with a statement t-shirt, saying “Don’t be scared to be who you are.” In March, Dazed cover girl Natalie Westling appeared in V Magazine in a lip lock with real-life girlfriend Carly Moore, no explanation needed.

When the reaction of both fashion fans and the general public to models’ statements of LGBTQ pride is overwhelmingly positive (Jarlos’s contract has generated an outpouring of support) there’s little reason for the industry to remain stuck in its homophobic ways. Jarlos are already seeing the positive effects of their actions. “The other day, this 19-year-old kid who's still in the closet told us that we were his first gay role models,” says Santolalla. “He found our Instagram by searching for ‘gay models’. That was pretty cool to hear, and it proves how important visibility is to bringing positive change.” Does the couple’s contract signify a tide change in the industry? “Hopefully,” says Santolalla, but “the idea that gay men aren't strong and powerful has to change in society's mind first.”

4/16/2015