Actress, model, dancer, and activist Leyna Bloom is making history along with Sports Illustrated. She has become the first Black, Asian transgender woman on the cover of Swimsuit, the annual magazine published by Sports Illustrated.
Leyna was first announced as a 2021 rookie of the magazine back in March. But she had no idea that she would end up on the cover four months later. In fact, it was a surprise for her near the end of the interview with Tyra Banks, who was the first woman of color to appear on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover back in 1997.
A post shared by Leyna Bloom (@leynabloom) “I have dreamt a million beautiful dreams, but for girls like me, most dreams are just fanciful hopes in a world that often erases and omits our history and even existence,” Leyna writes in an Instagram post announcing her cover.
A post shared by Leyna Bloom (@leynabloom) The photographer behind this cover is Yu Tsai. Speaking about the shoot, he wrote on Instagram: In 2014, Leyna first came out as transgender. It was during a photoshoot for C☆NDY Magazine cover feature on prominent trans women. In 2017, she walked the runway for the Chromat label during New York Fashion Week and became the first openly trans woman of color to appear in Vogue India. In October 2018, it was announced that Leyna would star in Danielle Lessovitz’s first feature film Port Authority. In April 2019, the 2019 Cannes Film Festival announced that Port Authority would compete in the Un Certain Regard competition. It was the first film in the festival’s 72-year history to feature a trans woman of color in a leading role. But things haven’t always been glamorous for Leyna. She had a difficult childhood and even spent some time homeless with her parents and brother. Her mother was deported to the Philippines, so her father raised her and her brother alone. He protected her and fully supported her decision to transition, and she says that he’s always been by her side. Today, Leyna is who she’s always wanted to be. She hopes to open the door to many other trans models in the industry so they can work freely and live freely like she does today. “Knowing that history of where I come from, on the shoulders that I’m standing on, I have to do my part. I have to pay homage. I have to remind them. And that’s exactly what I did when I received the call that I was on Sports Illustrated.” But in addition, Leyna also sees this opportunity to invite everyone to open their minds and hearts and to think differently: [via Yahoo! Life]
