Leyna Bloom and Gayle King Talk Opening Hearts and Minds With SI Swimsuit

The brand legends chatted with one another during the 60th anniversary photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla.

Leyna Bloom and Gayle King were photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Earlier this spring, SI Swimsuit models descended upon the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., for a photo shoot of legendary proportions. Leyna Bloom, a now four-time brand star and the magazine’s 2021 cover model, and 2024 cover star Gayle King sat down for a conversation around their work and what it means to collaborate with SI Swimsuit.

Bloom, who made history as the publication’s first transgender cover model, says that though she never expected to land that front page feature (which was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla.), she believed that everything in her life lead up to that special moment. She adds that she definitely felt the impact of that historic cover—both the good and bad.

“I’m trying to invite people to think differently since the day I’ve been born. You know, I’m trying to understand the human in all of us, in the universal language we all speak, which is love, which is happiness,” Bloom says. “I think so many people have been in a position where they haven’t had access to someone like me, or they’re too nervous to have conversations with people like me ... but if you just open your mind and you speak your truth and I speak my truth, then we can both grow together and start thinking differently about not just us, but the rest of the world.”

As for her features in the SI Swimsuit Issue this year, King didn’t believe the offer to pose for the magazine was real, and initially, she didn’t see herself as the “ideal” swimsuit model.

“I didn’t see myself in that category,” King admits. “But the more I talked to MJ [Day, editor in chief] about why should I, how could I, she really did make me see that you do bring something to the table in a way that I hadn't thought of. And it's not that I lack confidence or self-esteem because I don’t. I feel very comfortable and confident in my own skin [and] in what I do, but this is stepping way out of my box. She showed me that this was possible and I took that first picture and they showed it to me [and], I went, ‘Wow I like her. Yes. I like her.’”

View Leyna Bloom’s 2024 Legends photo gallery here.

View Gayle King’s Mexico photo gallery here. View her Legends photo gallery here.

Bloom concurred that shining a light on yourself is not only O.K., but essential.

“There’s no limit on living your truth, loving your body,” she states. “Don’t ever be in a state of like I think this is enough. You are enough and you are allowed to have more than enough. “