Laverne Cox is Cosmopolitan's first transgender cover star

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Laverne Cox is making history as Cosmopolitan's first transgender cover star.

The 45-year-old American actress appears on the February cover of Cosmopolitan South Africa.

Cox strikes a pose in a black, one-shoulder bodysuit on the cover. The Valentine's Day-themed #SayYesToLove issue highlights LGBT issues.

"I am honored and proud to cover the February issue of @cosmopolitansa," Cox wrote on Instagram.

Editor-in-chief Holly Meadows told Paper magazine Cosmopolitan wanted to focus on the LGBT community and examine love as an "acceptance of self, others and non-binary relationships." She had nothing but praise for Cox.

"[She is] the world's most vocal trans poster girl and activist for the intersection of race, class and gender identities, challenging toxic masculinity, white supremacy and the misrepresentation of trans people," she said.

Cox is known for playing Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, which returned for a fifth season in June. She also produced the MTV documentary The T Word.