Valentina Sampaio, a model from a small fishing village in Brazil, has made history by becoming the first transgender model to feature in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue – one of the most coveted modelling jobs in the industry.
And it's not her first time breaking down barriers in the fashion world: just last year, Sampaio became the first openly transgender model hired by Victoria Secret and featured in the VS Pink catalogue. Two years before that, she was the first transgender model to feature on a Vogue magazine cover.
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In a personal essay published on the magazine's site, Sampaio said that she was "excited and honored to be part of the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue".
Writing about her upbringing in a small village in Northern Brazil, the model reflected on the importance of visibility in the trans community, especially in Brazil.
"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 wrote.
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"Being trans usually means facing closed doors to peoples' hearts and minds. We face snickers, insults, fearful reactions and physical violations just for existing."
"I recognize that I am one of the fortunate ones, and my intention is to honor that as best I can," she added. "What unites us as humans is that we all share the common desire to be accepted and loved for who we are."
Sampaio has also worked for many high-profile fashion houses, including walking the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier, and has worked for Dior, Marc Jacobs and H&M.
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Publishing its first issue in 1964, Sports Illustrated has long been a cultural touchpoint in the fashion industry, and has played a huge role in elevating many supermodels to stardom. Tyra Banks was the first black cover star in 1997, a key achievement in her career.
In 2016, Ashley Graham became the magazine's first plus-sized cover star, while last year saw Somali-American model Halima Aden grace the cover, becoming the first model to wear a hijab and burkini in the magazine.
