Fil-Am Leyna Bloom is the first trans woman cover star of Sports Illustrated

Filpina trans women keep achieving one historic feat after another this year! This time it's Fil-Am actress-model Leyna Bloom who made Pinoys proud by becoming the first trans woman cover star of the prestigious Sports Illustrated magazine's annual swimsuit edition.

Leyna shared the photo of her Sports Illustrated (SI) cover on Instagram and dedicated this win to all trans women like herself who have long waited and craved for representation and inclusivity in the media.

Part of Leyna's IG post reads, “This moment heals a lot of pain in the world. We deserve this moment; we have waited millions of years to show up as survivors and be seen as full humans filled with wonder.

“I'm am so happy, honored, and humbled to share that I'm the 1st trans woman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated!”

The 'Port Authority' star then talked about her personal journey as a trans woman and dedicated her cover to all trans women like herself who struggle to make their dreams a reality.

“I have dreamt a million beautiful dreams, but for girls like me, most dreams are just fanciful hopes in a world that often erases and omits our history and even existence.

“This moment is so powerful because it allows me to live forever even after my physical form is gone.

“Not a lot of people get to live in the future, so at this moment, I'm proudly choosing to live forever.

“I dedicate this cover to all ballroom femme queens past, present and future.

“This historical moment is important to #girlslikeus because it allows us to live and be seen.

“Many girls like us don't have the chance to live our dreams, or to live long at all.

“I hope my cover empowers those, who are struggling to be seen, feel valued.

“Let me be a messenger guiding us to a future of respect and appreciation for all women in all forms and from all walks of life.

“I truly believe everything we do and everyone we meet are put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents.

“We're all teachers and if you are willing to pay attention to the lessons, trust your positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks, the possibilities are infinite!”

The trailblazing actress-model was congratulated by supermodel, TV host, and entrepreneur Tyra Banks on Instagram for her monumental SI cover.

“I am proud to know this beauty, @leynabloom, and so excited to have a front-row seat to her making history as the FIRST TRANS WOMAN ON THE COVER of @si_swimsuit! This is MAJOR. And she's just getting started. Show her LOVE in the comments. ”

Tyra Banks also had a historic SI cover in 1997, when she became the first black woman to grace the cover of the popular sports magazine.

Tyra Banks's equally monumental Sports Illustrated cover in 1997 / Photo by: Russell James (Sports Illustrated)

Last year, Brazilian trans woman model Valentina Sampaiao also made history as the first trans model to pose for SI.

This year, aside from Leyna, two other influential and powerful women also made it to the SI Swimsuit cover: 'Savage' rapper Megan Thee Stallion and tennis star Naomi Osaka, who also recently released her Naomi Osaka Barbie doll designed by a Filipino.

Naomi Osaka's and Megan Thee Stallion's 2021 SI Swimsuit covers / Photos by: Yu Tsai and James Macari (Sports Illustrated)

Before her SI cover, Leyna has had a number of groundbreaking achievements in her career as a model and actress.

In 2017, Leyna was one of the first openly trans model to walk the runway at the New York Fashion Week and became the first trans woman of color to appear in Vogue India.

In 2018, the Fil-Am model-actress went viral on Twitter after campaigning to be the first trans model to walk at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

And in 2019, Leyna became the first trans woman of color to star in a Cannes Film Festival film and the only trans model to strut her stuff at the Paris Fashion Week for Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya's Fall/Winter collection.

In an interview with the New York Times, Leyna emphasized that her mission is to promote trans beauty in all shapes and sizes.

“I'm representing Filipina, I'm representing Black, I am representing people who have been immigrants. For them, I'm a vessel of change,” Leyna told the New York Times.

Leyna's Filipina mother is from General Santos, while her father is of African-American descent. She was born and raised in Chicago.

Congratulations on your historic SI cover, Leyna! We can't wait to see you slay in more magazine covers and runways.

For more lifestyle content, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.

Check out also other international stars with Filipino blood in the gallery below.