Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Features Its First Transgender Model, Who 'Embodies the Well-Rounded Woman'

AP featured image — FILE – In this Friday, Feb. 10, 2017 file photo, Kate Upton arrives at the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honoring Tom Petty at the Los Angeles Convention Center. She’s once, twice, three times a Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover lady. Upton once again graces the cover of the annual issue announced Tuesday, Feb. 14, becoming only the fourth woman to ever do it three times. This year, she makes the splash with three different covers. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Alright, all you athletic nuts — how illustrated do you like your sports?

The magazine of the same name will soon make anatomical history with its 2020 Swimsuit Issue.

As you thumb through those glossy pages, among eight newcomers, you’ll find 23-year-old Valentina Sampaio.

Valentina is a man identifying as a woman, and SI’s psyched.

Here’s the company’s statement, courtesy of Today:

“Valentina has been on our radar for some time now and when we finally met face-to-face it became apparent that besides her obvious beauty, she is an impassioned activist, a true pioneer for the LGBT+ community and just simply embodies the well-rounded woman we are proud to have represent SI Swimsuit across our platforms.”

On Friday, the posing pioneer posted the following:

“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. … 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.”

View this post on Instagram

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. 💜🧡💛❤️💚

A post shared by Valentina Sampaio (@valentts) on Jul 10, 2020 at 5:44am PDT

He particularly highlighted the perils in his home country:

“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.”

These days, the smalltown guy from Aquiraz, Ceará resides in the safer space of a hot white spotlight.

And it’s nothing so new — as I covered last August, Valentina was also the first man to vixen it up for Victoria’s Secret.

Meet Valentina Sampaio, Victoria's Secret's first openly transgender model https://t.co/aiOKeTrLmf via @pagesix

— Gigi jones (@gigijones12131) July 10, 2020

BREAKING BARRIERS: Meet Valentina Sampaio, Victoria’s Secret’s first model of #transgender experience: https://t.co/Zu8Bk20mdV via @thedailybeast

— Amida Care (@AmidaCareNY) September 12, 2019

As for SI, while Valentina’s making waves on the beach-and-boobs front, the bathing suit Big Deal won’t mark the first time a male-identifying-as-female’s popped onto the publication.

Back in 2016, you may recall, there was this:

.@Caitlyn_Jenner hits Sports Illustrated cover https://t.co/TIGL8mmk3T @SInow pic.twitter.com/kDC5qVT00S

— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) June 29, 2016

Still, the Swimsuit Issue’s next-level.

Does Valentina have what it takes to compete with the likes of, say, this polar bear:

POLAR BARE: @KateUpton in Antarctica is your 2013 SI Swimsuit Cover Model! http://t.co/9oL807EI #WhereISwim pic.twitter.com/kK1b1QB3

— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 9, 2013

Or…

Kate Upton Covers 'Sports Illustrated' 2017 Swimsuit Issue, Doesn't Wear Actual Swimsuit https://t.co/70WPXPZt8C pic.twitter.com/vGEBMpC9Fl

— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) February 16, 2017

Kate Upton heats things up.@KateUpton scores 3 covers for the 2017 'Sports Illustrated' Swimsuit Issue: https://t.co/JOc3ZsxQVu pic.twitter.com/nYmmdyIYK6

— Men's Journal + Fitness (@mjfit) February 15, 2017

Or how about this:

There is no such thing as too much @KateUpton https://t.co/SgZJiYOEGq pic.twitter.com/jsNlrEgNW4

— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) February 13, 2018

Will Sampaio further a growing male domination in our new woke world of sports?

Will SI feature him too much? Too little? Find out July 21st.

While you wait, if you’re jonesing for more of the same, here’s your chance to be a playboy: