Leyna Bloom Shares Throwback BTS Video From SI Swimsuit Shoot in Belize

Leyna Bloom in Belize.Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Leyna Bloom is going back to the beach. The model shared a throwback behind-the-scenes video from her 2022 SI Swimsuit Issue photo shoot in Belize with photographer Yu Tsai. 

She set the TikTok to the sound of Beyoncé’s monologue from her 2011 documentary, Beyoncé: Year of 4: “I’m always happy when I’m surrounded by water. The ocean makes me feel really small, and it puts my whole life into perspective. It reminds me, O.K, I’m this very little piece of this huge Earth and it humbles you and it grounds you.”

Bloom wore a red plunge-neck one-piece from OYE Swimwear and posed for the camera, shifting from leaning forward to angling back with her hands above her head.

She ran her fingers through her hair and played with the branch above her to add some movement to the snaps. The camera panned out to reveal that she was standing on a short stool to reach the tree.

“Full ocean 🌊 beautiful scars,” Bloom captioned the Jan. 25 post.

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The Port Authority star made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2021, the same year she landed on the cover of the SI Swimsuit Issue (the first transgender woman to do so). In 2017, Bloom was the first transgender woman of color to appear in Vogue India and in ’19 she was the only trans model to walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week. Bloom has been dedicated to diversifying the modeling industry and continues to make waves in film and television.

She said her mission is to “invite people to think differently,” and being a cover star was on track with her goal to encourage trans women to not only dream big, but to actually go after their dreams.

“Honestly, growing up, I would see so many women from all different walks of life that really didn’t fit in this blue-eyed, blonde-hair, very-thin stereotype. I felt that the women around me who raised me were also beautiful, intelligent and powerful,” she explained at the time. “But they really never got a chance to be seen in such a beautiful light. So I thought it was important for me to dream big and decided to be part of organizations willing to have this moment and take it into the new generation.”

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“I was brought here to be a vessel of change,” Bloom added. “The more that we have people like us in the world that are having these conversations, that are daring to go out and to have the courage to talk about this, the more that we can see representation everywhere around the globe—that’s when we really understand true love and the brotherhood and the sisterhood that we are all a part of.” 

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