Valentina Sampaio Becomes Sports Illustrated’s First Transgender Model
Valentina Sampaio becomes the first transgender model to be featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Amid a global pandemic and poisonous politics, there are some highs. Valentina Sampaio has become Sports Illustrated’s first openly transgender model. The 23-year-old Brazilian model is a force to reckon with, she is no stranger to the spotlight. In 2017, Sampaio appeared on the cover of a Vogue edition, and in 2019, she became Victoria’s Secret’s first openly transgender model.
Brazilian-born model Valentina Sampaio is the first trans woman to grace @SInow’s swimsuit issue. https://t.co/ZtNx8FVcgK
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) July 10, 2020
Sampaio’s inclusion in this year’s issue comes amid a global push for transgender visibility and acceptance. Transgender women are too often the targets of discrimination and abuse, so Sampaio’s feature in a prominent, popular publication is truly groundbreaking. Sampaio wrote a powerful, poignant personal essay on Sports Illustrated’s website, where she expressed her gratitude and humility for being featured. She noted that Brazil, her native country, is notorious for its transphobia, so her ability to emerge as a leading light, in spite of her identity as a trans woman, is inconceivable and extremely meaningful.
“I feel strong, and I feel inspired to fight, not just for me but for everyone that I represent.” – SI Swimsuit 2020 rookie Valentina Sampaio https://t.co/CJCrL0qb4E pic.twitter.com/0F0h6eXXeY
— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) July 10, 2020
Sampaio continues to use her enormous, influential platform to advocate for the transgender community.
“Brazil is a beautiful country, but it also hosts the highest number of violent crimes and murders against the trans community globally — three times that of the U.S.,” Valentina Sampaio says. https://t.co/ZtNx8FVcgK
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) July 10, 2020
The public’s response to Sampaio’s feature has been overwhelmingly positive and loyal fans are fiercely defending the model.
Scrolling through all the negative replies to posts about Valentina Sampaio and reporting disgusting transphobic trolls like: pic.twitter.com/iaW2vgMpiJ
— David (@xmagic_dustx) July 10, 2020
Sports Illustrated has a proven record of celebrating diversity. In 2016, the magazine featured its first size 16 model Ashley Graham and in 2019, the publication featured its first Somali-American model to wear a hijab, Halima Aden.
Muslim supermodel Halima Aden has made history once again by becoming the first model to wear a hijab and burkini in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue https://t.co/qGVvne9yyK pic.twitter.com/ZX46ENDNg5
— CNN (@CNN) May 4, 2019
In a world where Eurocentric beauty standards are too often idealized and presented as the prototype, it is unbelievably refreshing to see fashion magazines feature diverse models. Sports Illustrated continues to champion multifarious, unique, and unconventional forms of beauty. We cannot wait to see who the magazine features next.
I am a plucky Sophomore at Wesleyan University with a passion for writing, fashion, running, and extremely strong coffee—so strong that it would make a 6’5’’ WWE wrestler weep. I am a small person with a big personality, only intensified by the coffee, that seeps into both my bold street and writing style. I am currently based in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area and am excited to work for such an empowering, female-focused publication. During this trying time in history it is more important than ever for women to continue lifting each other up and spreading positive energy!
