Why Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson Decided to Publicly Confirm Their Relationship

For the past year, Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson have asserted their right to maintain their privacy when it comes to their relationship. (Delevingne has even worn a stuffed animal on her face to shield herself from paparazzi.) And while that’s begun to change in recent months—particularly on Instagram, where they’ve recently taken on homophobic trolls on Instagram, and shared a snapshot of a post-Chanel show cuddle—the 26-year-old model still made waves when she shared a steamy video of her kissing the 29-year-old actress this past Friday, complete with the hashtag “#PRIDE” and several rainbow and heart emojis.

If it weren’t already clear that they’re ready to open up, the pair reaffirmed as much with their appearance at the TrevorLIVE Gala—a benefit for the Trevor Project—in New York on Monday night, where Delevingne was honored with its annual Hero Award for her repeated outspokenness with regards to mental health and LGBTQ rights.

According to her Instagram Stories, Delevingne kicked off the night by donating $50,000 to the nonprofit, which is dedicated to preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth. She also put in an appearance on the event’s red carpet, where, naturally, she was asked why it was the right time for her to post the video, which she agreed was a celebration of pride. “I don’t know, because it is Pride. It’s been 50 years since Stonewall happened and I don’t know,” Delevingne told E! News, referencing the landmark 1969 Stonewall Uprising.

Plus, she added, “it’s been just about our one year anniversary, so why not?” When asked whether the post also marked making their relationship “Insta-official,” Delevingne shrugged. “Sure. I don’t know—I don’t like the ‘official’ thing, but you know, it’s a little something.” (She was first rumored to be dating—which is to say, spotted holding hands with—Benson in May of 2018, when they were both filming (and starring in a music video for) Alex Ross Perry’s film Her Smell.)

Inside the gala, between hanging with the model Georgia May Jagger and the cast of Queer Eye, plus performing a duet with the singer Will Heard, Delevingne also delivered an acceptance speech. “The fact that I’m being awarded for being a queer person, or by queer people—it’s just the craziest thing in the world,” she said, gesticulating with her award, which she dedicated to those who volunteer and work for the Trevor Project.

Delevingne also took care to give Benson a shoutout. “I also have another very special woman in this room to thank and you know who you are. She’s one of the people who help me love myself when I needed it most and I really needed it. She showed me what real love is and how to accept it, which is a lot harder than I thought,” she continued. Benson, meanwhile, shared excerpts of Delevingne’s speech on her Instagram Stories with the caption “love you.”

According to E!, at one point during the evening, Delevingne opened up even further by sharing that her pet name for Benson is “Sprinkles”—which, at the very least, is a much more palatable choice than what Justin Bieber is fond of calling his wife Hailey: “Goo Goo.”

Related: Cara Delevingne Says Disney Princesses Led to Her Struggle With Sexuality