Valentina Sampaio has made Sports Illustrated Swimsuit history by becoming the first transgender model to appear in the iconic special edition magazine.
On Friday, the 23-year-old Brazilian native confirmed she was named a 2020 Rookie for the publication's upcoming issue, out July 21.
Sampaio reacted to the news on social media in an emotional post. "I am excited and honored to be part of the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue," she wrote. "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.