Valentina Sampaio, a Brazilian model becomes first transgender Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model
Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio has been blazing trails for years. Now, she’s set to become the first openly transgender model to be featured in Sports Illustrated‘s Swimsuit issue.
“Being trans usually means facing closed doors to people’s hearts and minds,” she wrote on Instagram. “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.”
I am excited and honored to be part of the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. 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. 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. 💜🧡💛❤️💚
Sampaio praised her homeland as a “beautiful country” but said it is deadly as well, with “the highest number of violent crimes and murders against the trans community in the world — three times that of the U.S.”
