Swimsuit

8 Stunning Photos of Birthday Girl Leyna Bloom in Florida

The two-time SI Swimsuit model landed a historic cover as a rookie in 2021.

Ananya Panchal

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla.

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla.

Leyna Bloom made history in 2021 as the first transgender woman to land on the cover of the SI Swimsuit Issue. She accomplished the exciting feat as a rookie after her first photo shoot with Yu Tsai in Tampa and returned the following year to be photographed in Belize.

“This is a huge opportunity, really on another level,” Bloom said of her cover girl moment. “Because I know it’s not just for me. It’s for all my communities—the Black girls, the Asian girls, the LGBTQ+ community—this is my moment, and I’m so proud of myself for that. But it’s also our moment, and we’re going to take it and keep stepping into our power.”

The model, activist and actress turns 33 today, and we’re celebrating with a look back at some of our favorite photos from her rookie photo shoot.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

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