Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover breaks ground with Leyna Bloom, Naomi Osaka and Megan Thee Stallion This year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue features three women of colour on three separate covers who represent firsts for the magazine. 21 July 2021 Leyna Bloom has become the first transgender model to appear on the highly coveted cover of Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue. This year's edition also broke ground in featuring three women of colour on three separate covers, each of which represents a first for the magazine. Tennis champion Naomi Osaka is the first Haitian and Japanese woman on the cover, as well as the first female black athlete.