'Sports Illustrated' puts transgender model on swimsuit edition cover for second time

WASHINGTON (TND) — One of four cover models for this year's swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated magazine is a transgender model, marking the second time the publication has had a trans person featured on the famous edition's front cover.

German singer and songwriter Kim Petras, a transgender woman, is among the four cover models and is joined by actress Megan Fox, actress Brooks Nader and businesswoman Martha Stewart, according to Sports Illustrated.

ActressLeyna Bloom, who is a transgender woman, was on the swimsuit edition's cover in 2021, becoming the first trans model to appear there.

It’s definitely a scary time to be transgender in America, but there’s also so much more representation than there’s ever been, and there’s so many things on the bright side," Petras told Sports Illustrated in an interview.

I do feel a pressure sometimes to represent the trans community with everything I do, because I feel very blessed that I am at this point where I have all these amazing opportunities that I’ve worked really hard for and feel so happy when I hear from trans people in general that they’re inspired by me," Petras reportedly added.

Sports Illustrated says that Petras "made history earlier this year as the first transgender woman to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, for her track 'Unholy' with Sam Smith."

Petras told Sports Illustrated that being a swimsuit model is "very iconic" and that it was a "big dream come true.”

Petras was photographed bySports Illustrated's "staple" photographer Yu Tsai in Los Angeles earlier this spring and "posed poolside in an incredible bright-pink Barbiecore-inspired swimsuit" for the shoot.

The transgender model told the publication that she was proud other trans people were inspired by her, but she also says that she doesn't think gender is "the most important thing."

I think what you do is the most important thing, not what your gender is," Petras told Sports Illustrated. "No matter what your gender or sexuality or any of that stuff is, it’s about what you make of life and it’s about what’s inside of you and all of that, so I hope that can be inspiring to people."

Alongside the announcement that she was going to be a Sports Illustrated cover model, Petras announced that her new album is on its way. Petras' new "Fee the Beast" album is set to drop on June 23, according to PEOPLE.

Many online were critical of the news that Sports Illustrated was again featuring a transgender model on the cover of its swimsuit edition.

Some suggested the publication was attempting to "replace" women with men.Others asked,"couldn’t you find an actual woman to put on the cover?"Many insisted that Petras was a "man" and that they would not be supporting or purchasing any Sport Illustrated issues. Others went as far as to call the cover mode choice "gross."

Why would you put a man on the cover of a swimsuit magazine? Are you trying to beat @budlight in tanking sales?" one Twitter user asked, referring to the controversy Bud Light is currently experiencing over partnering with a trans activist for a promotion.

Last summer, Petras made headlines when she and American popstar Christina Aguilera drew irefollowing an all-ages performance at the Los Angeles Pride Festival.

Performing alongside Petras,Aguilera wore a bedazzled green "Hulk-esque" dildo attached to her pelvisat the all-ages Pride Fest. Critics were upset at the displayed imagery at a venue where children were allowed.

Sports Illustrated's newest swimsuit editions are set to hit stands on May 18.