The Story of the First Trans-Model on the Cover of Vogue, Who’s Been Fighting for the Right to Be a Woman Her Entire Life

In 2017, the entire world started talking about Valentina Sampaio: she became the first trans model that appeared on the cover of Paris Vogue, and 2 years later, she joined the Victoria’s Secret family. She carefully keeps the secret about her past before the transition, but she openly talks about the present, and most importantly, the future, hers and that of the people who really need support.

We at CHEERY decided to tell you about this brave woman who set a very ambitious goal for herself — to change the world.

She grew up in an environment, very far from fashion.

Valentina was born in a remote village, somewhere in the north of Brazil, into a family of a fisherman or a school teacher. She won’t give more details, so that the press and other people can’t dig more into her past. After the transition, the girl closed the door to her past life forever. She sometimes talks about her childhood, but she never gives any names, or exact geographical coordinates.

Back when she was at school, Sampaio realized that she was different from her peers. When she was 12, she asked the people around her to call her Valentina. She was lucky that her parents and classmates listened to her and supported her. Today, the model says that her case is more of an exception, rather than a rule.

The fashion world turned out to be unfriendly.

When Valentina was 16, a modeling agency in São Paulo noticed her. She dropped out of school and signed a contract with them. This is how her modeling career started. But the world of fashion wasn’t very friendly. In 2014, the young model had to work with a Brazilian clothing company. But when the company managers found out she was transgender, they stopped collaboration with her.

It was unbearable to taste success and lose it right away, she remembers. She felt ashamed and rejected, “Being trans often means facing a closed-door into people’s hearts.”

At that moment, she had a goal: to change the world, so that not only she could be happy in it, but everyone who is discriminated. And there was a lot of injustice to fight with. She says that in Brazil, LGBTQ+ people can’t find a good job, and are often got humiliated. For example, when she went abroad, she saw that people like her could be successful in their professions and have the right to vote.

Career breakthrough.

Looking for more freedom, Valentina moved to big cities. She first did independent cinema in Rio de Janeiro, later, she debuted on the runway in São Paulo. There, she was noticed by L’Oréal, that wanted to tell the world the story of the unusual model. So, Valentina Sampaio became the ambassador of the brand, together with other Brazilian stars: Grazi Massafera, Taís Araújo, Juliana Paes, and others.

Her big breakthrough happened in 2017. She was the first transgender model to appear on the cover of Vogue. “My cover is another small step — an important step that shows we have the force to be Vogue cover girls”, she said in many interviews. The entire world was talking about Valentina, so she could discuss important problems with her audience.

The following years, her last name was always used with the word “first”. She became the first trans model in Victoria’s Secret: she joined the PINK direction, oriented for young people. And the big moment was when the fashion world accepted Valentina and invited her to shoot for Sports Illustrated. The model didn’t have to hide her transition anymore, and she proudly talked about it.

What it’s all for.

When she started working with Victoria’s Secret, Valentina said she was happy to be part of the company that protects all the women around the world, telling their true stories. She became part of this mission. She thinks that attractiveness is something more than just appearance. This is beyond the body. Love and respect for yourself, among other things, is what true beauty is. She says, “We are all physically unique, yet all united in a common desire to be accepted and loved as we are.”

She calls everyone to accept themselves and understand their value. Even though the world is still full of injustice and the society still has “standards” and stereotypes for people’s appearances, each of us can make a change.

Can you think of any other women that, just like Valentina Sampaio, became first at something?