'Sports Illustrated' Hit With Transphobic Backlash For Featuring Kim Petras As Swimsuit Model

Sports Illustrated has been the talk of the town this week.

First, they announced Martha Stewart as one of their SI Swimsuit cover models, making her the oldest person ever to hold the title at 81 years old.

Now, the internet is buzzing with the news that trans woman Kim Petras joins Stewart as a fellow cover model, alongside Megan Fox and Brooks Nadar.

Petras is only the second trans woman to be included in SI's swimsuit edition after Leyna Bloom, who was featured in 2021.

But all buzz, sadly, isn't positive buzz, and flocks of transphobic conservatives have taken to social media to express their outrage over SI's decision to feature the Grammy-winning pop star.

And, as with the great Bud Light boycott of 2023, transphobes are now swearing off Sports Illustrated.

Fortunately, however, many expressed there is plenty of space for everyone to be included.

In a special "Letter from the Editor," Sports Illustrated editor in chief MJ Day shared:

"I am often asked what the 'theme' is of the issue. There is no theme— rather, there is a vision, a sentiment, a hope that women can live in a world where they feel no limitations, internally or externally."

Of Petras, Day said:

"The Grammy-winning pop star, a beacon of inspiration for the LGBTQ+ community, has blazed her own path to superstardom, but it has been anything but a straight line."

Petras herself shared her excitement:

“It’s very iconic, and a lot of very iconic people have done it before, so, big dream come true for me.”

“I hope people take away from this that I look really hot and Sports Illustrated is cool.”

Petras also expressed her hope of inspiring others:

“I think what you do is the most important thing, not what your gender is.”

“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.”