Valentina Sampaio becomes first transgender model to appear in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue
She's also been named a 2020 Rookie for the publication
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Valentina Sampaio has made Sports Illustrated Swimsuit history by becoming the first transgender model to appear in the iconic special edition magazine.
On Friday, the 23-year-old Brazilian native confirmed she was named a 2020 Rookie for the publication's upcoming issue, out July 21.
Sampaio reacted to the news on social media in an emotional post.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I am excited and honored to be part of the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue," she wrote.
"The team at SI has created yet another groundbreaking issue by bringing together a diverse set of multitalented, beautiful women in a creative and dignified way. I was born trans in a remote, humble fishing village in northern Brazil. Brazil is a beautiful country, but it also hosts the highest number of violent crimes and murders against the trans community in the world — three times that of the U.S.," she continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sampaio concluded: "Being trans usually means facing closed doors to peoples’ hearts and minds. We face snickers, insults, fearful reactions and physical violations just for existing. Our options for growing up in a loving and accepting family, having a fruitful experience at school or finding dignified work are unimaginably limited and challenging."
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She also penned an essay on SI Swimsuit’s website, in which she thanked the magazine “for seeing and respecting me as I truly am,” and “for understanding that more than anything, I am human.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sampaio has been taking the modeling industry by storm this past year. In August, Victoria’s Secret hired her as its first-ever openly transgender model.
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And in 2017, she covered Vogue Paris, Vogue Brasil, Vogue German, and worked with major fashion brands Marc Jacobs, Dior, and H&M.