Leyna Bloom: First Transgender Woman Of Color Is In Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, FL wearing Dos Gardenias.
By Bless Bull / March 18, 2021
This week, model Leyna Bloom, became the first transgender woman of color to appear on the pages of the “Sports Illustrated” Swimsuit Issue. She is a Black and Asian-American actress, dancer and activist.
Bloom lost her college dance scholarship as she began to transition and for many years she had face prejudice. Today she has landed an iconic position in the magazine.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
“I never imagined that I will be born in the time when something like this will happen for someone with my skin tone, and with someone with my background,” Bloom told ABC’s Juju Chang. “This is a magazine that says we are allowed to be beautiful in all our shapes and sizes, and that should be loved because we’re not often seen in that way,” she added.
She followed Brazil’s Valentina Sampaio footsteps, who was the first transgender woman to appear in the issue last year. Bloom said her journey was not easy, for she had faced homelessness throughout her life.
“It wasn’t homeless to be homeless … I knew that this was what I needed to do to get to where I needed to be,” Bloom said. “I still had the dream. The dream was feeding me when I was starving in my body.”
“We need to constantly remind ourselves to protect those people in our society that are destined, that are different, that are beautiful uniquely themselves to go out and do what they’re destined to do which is to challenge society to make it better for everyone else,” Bloom said.
Editor-In-Chief of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, MJ Day stated, “Leyna, she walked on that set and she owned it.” “And that’s what I want for every woman to feel in their life, like they have a seat at the table. They have a right to be there.”
Bloom stated that her father was her main support in her journey and calls him her superhero. Alongside, Bloom has reached tons of praise, even from NBA star Dwayne Wade who gave her words of encouragement and wisdom. For Wade is the parent to a transgender daughter.