Obama becomes first sitting President to appear on cover of LGBT magazine

Mr Obama is named 'Ally of the Year' by Out magazine

President Obama (Getty Images)

President Barack Obama has become the first sitting US President in history to appear on the cover of an LGBT magazine.

Mr Obama was named as the ‘Ally of the Year’ in Out magazine’s Out100 2015 list.

The cover is particularly significant as same-sex marriage was legalised across the whole of America under the Obama administration.

In an editorial, Out said the “historic cover” reflects “how much his administration has done to advance a singularly volatile issue”.

It reads: “Once his administration decided to join that fight it created what people like to call a 'transformative' moment. It helped tip the balance, and it put our elected leader on the right side of justice."

In an interview with the magazine, Mr Obama said that growing up as “a black guy with a funny name”, he understood what it feels like to be pushed to the outside of society.

He said the Supreme Court’s ruling on gay marriage signifies the shift in hearts and minds across America.