Waithe sits on the April cover photographed by Annie Leibovitz and wearing the slightest smirk, a gesture that seems to speak directly to folks who would dare question what a masculine black woman was doing in her position. Her expression emulates something she says to Woodson during their interview. “Being born a gay black female is not a revolutionary act. Being proud to be a gay black female is.” Waithe’s pride in her own identities and how they’ve made her so much better at her job has not lent itself to exceptionalism. She is brutally honest about just how far the industry she’s mastered has to go in order for others like reach the same peaks. But while Waithe is rightfully proud that she made the front of Vanity Fair as a black lesbian, I’m struck that the publication made space for a black lesbian who is known primarily for her contributions behind the scenes.