Before transitioning, Leyna Bloom was living as a black, queer man in New York City. He was a talented dancer and model, but he always felt like he was living in the wrong body. After years of struggling with his identity, Leyna made the decision to transition and start living his life as the woman he knows he is. post-transition, Leyna has flourished. She is now one of the most successful plus-size models in the industry and is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights. As for her personal life, Leyna is currently single but she says she’s open to finding love with the right person, regardless of gender.
What was Leyna Bloom like before she transitioned?
Leyna Bloom is an American model and actress. She is the first transgender woman of color to be featured in Vogue and on the cover of Elle. Before she transitioned, Leyna Bloom was known as Laurence Philomena. She was born on October 6, 1992, in Chicago, Illinois. Laurence grew up in a religious family and attended a Catholic school. At the age of 16, she came out as gay to her parents. After graduating from high school, Laurence moved to New York City to pursue modeling. It was there that she began her transition.
Laurence changed her name to Leyna Bloom in 2015. She began hormone replacement therapy and had surgery to remove her breasts and ovaries. In 2017, she underwent gender confirmation surgery. Leyna Bloom made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week in 2018. She has since gone on to walk for major fashion brands such as Prabal Gurung, Chromat, and Pyer Moss. In 2019, she starred in the film Port Authority and was featured on the cover of Vogue Italia. Leyna Bloom is an outspoken advocate for the transgender community. In 2020, she launched the #TransIsBeautiful campaign to celebrate transgender beauty and diversity.
How did Leyna Bloom transition?
Leyna Bloom is an American model and actress. She is the first transgender woman of color to be featured in Vogue magazine and the first openly trans woman to walk the runway for two major New York fashion week designers. Bloom was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a Jamaican mother and an African-American father. When she was five years old, her family moved to Queens, New York. Bloom began her transition at the age of 15.
Since coming out as transgender, Bloom has been an outspoken advocate for the transgender community, particularly transgender women of color. In 2017, she gave a TEDx talk entitled “Breaking barriers as a trans woman of color.” In 2018, she was named one of Glamour magazine’s “Women of the Year.”
Bloom has also worked to further visibility of transgender people in the fashion industry. In 2018, she became the first openly trans woman to be featured in Vogue magazine. The following year, she made history again by becoming the first openly trans woman to walk the runway for two major New York fashion week designers: Chromat and Pyer Moss.
In 2019, Bloom starred in the film Port Authority, which received critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival. The film tells the story of a young transgender woman (played by Bloom) who falls in love with a man she meets at a bus station in New York City.
Bloom’s work in Port Authority helped her to land a role in the 2020 film The Last Thing He Wanted, directed by Dee Rees. The film stars Anne Hathaway and Ben Affleck, and is based on the novel of the same name by Joan Didion.
Bloom is currently working on her debut album, which is set to be released in 2020.
What is Leyna Bloom’s current relationship status?
Leyna Bloom is a model, actress, and dancer who is currently signed to New York Model Management. She has appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle magazines, among others. Bloom was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a Puerto Rican mother and an African-American father. She has two older sisters.
Bloom began her modeling career after being scouted by a local agency at the age of 15. She soon relocated to New York City to pursue modeling full-time. In 2016, she made history as the first transgender woman of color to be featured in Vogue magazine.
Since then, Bloom has continued to make waves in the fashion industry. In 2017, she became the first transgender model to walk the runway at New York Fashion Week. And in 2018, she made her acting debut in the film “Saturday Church”.
As for her personal life, Bloom is currently single. However, she has been previously linked to rapper Lil’ Kim and actor Ezra Miller.
How did Leyna Bloom’s family react to her transitioning?
As the first transgender woman of color to be signed to a major modeling agency, Leyna Bloom is making history. But it hasn’t always been an easy road for the 27-year-old.
Born in Chicago, Bloom was assigned male at birth and given the name Jaelon Maurice Coleman. She says she knew she was different from a young age but it wasn’t until she was 15 that she realized she was transgender. “I thought I was gay because all I saw on TV were white gay men,” she told Out magazine. “That’s what mainstream media presented to me, so that’s what I thought I was.”
It took another few years for Bloom to come out to her family as transgender. “My mom had just got out of a really bad relationship and she was trying to put her life back together, so I didn’t want to burden her with my issues,” she said. “I thought, ‘If I tell her this, she’s going to think it’s her fault.'”
Eventually, Bloom mustered up the courage to tell her mother the truth. “She started crying and said, ‘I thought you were gay,'” Bloom recalled. “I explained to her that being transgender has nothing to do with sexuality.”
Bloom’s mother was supportive but it took some time for her father to come around. “My dad is from the south side of Chicago and he’s a tough guy,” she said. “He was like, ‘This is gonna be hard for me.'”
But with the help of therapist Dr. Christopher Lewis, who specializes in working with transgender youth and their families, Bloom’s father began to understand and accept his daughter for who she is. “My dad would call me after his sessions with Dr. Lewis and say things like, ‘Baby, I get it now. I’m sorry for not being there for you,'” Bloom said. “It was really healing for both of us.”
Nowadays, Bloom’s family is proud of her accomplishments and supportive of her transition. In fact, her mother even helps her with her makeup before big events!
What has been Leyna Bloom’s experience as a trans woman of color?
Leyna Bloom is a trans woman of color. She is also an actress, model, and dancer. Leyna was born in Chicago, Illinois and is of Afro-Puerto Rican descent. She grew up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago. Leyna has two brothers and sisters. Her father was abusive and she ran away from home when she was 17 years old. Leyna has been living on her own since then.
“It’s been tough,” she says of her experience as a trans woman of color. “There’s a lot of discrimination out there.”
Leyna has faced many challenges in her life, but she has also triumphed over them. “I’m still standing,” she says. “I’m still here.”
Bloom began her transition at the age of 19. She started hormone therapy and had surgery to remove her male reproductive organs. “I knew I wanted to transition when I was 17 years old,” she says. “But I didn’t have the resources or the support.”
Bloom is now signed with IMG Models, one of the biggest modeling agencies in the world. She has graced the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle. She has also walked the runway for major designers such as Jeremy Scott, Marc Jacobs, and Oscar de la Renta.
“It feels amazing to be represented by a major agency,” she says. “I’m finally being seen for who I am.”
Bloom is also making history as the first trans woman of color to be featured in a Victoria’s Secret campaign. “It’s a dream come true,” she says of the opportunity. “I hope it inspires other trans women of color to pursue their dreams.”
Bloom is determined to break down barriers and build bridges. “There’s strength in numbers,” she says. “We need to stand together and fight for our rights.”
What challenges has Leyna Bloom faced since transitioning?
Leyna Bloom is an American model and actress. She is of African-American, Puerto Rican, and Vietnamese descent. Bloom was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Queens, New York. She began her transition at the age of 15.
Bloom has been modeling since she was 18 years old. In 2015, she made history by becoming the first transgender woman of color to be profiled by Vogue India. In 2017, she starred in the short film “Transpose” which won Best Short Film at the Brooklyn Web Fest. In 2018, she made her New York Fashion Week debut walking for Chromat.
Despite all of her success, Bloom has faced many challenges since transitioning. One of the biggest challenges has been dealing with transphobia both within the fashion industry and in her personal life. In an industry that is still very cis-centric, Bloom has had to fight for visibility and representation. She’s also had to deal with trolls and haters online who have tried to bring her down because of her trans identity.
Despite the challenges, Bloom continues to persevere and is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the fashion industry. She is an inspiration to other trans women of color who are pursuing their dreams despite the odds.
What has been the biggest change for Leyna Bloom since transitioning?
Leyna Bloom is an American model and actress. She is of African-American, Puerto Rican, and Filipino descent. Bloom was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. In 2016, she moved to New York City to pursue her modeling career full-time. In 2017, she made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week, walking for Gypsy Sport. In 2018, she became the first transgender woman of color to be featured in Vogue magazine.
Since transitioning, Bloom says the biggest change has been “the freedom to just be myself.”
“I feel like I can finally breathe,” she told Vogue. “I no longer have to put on a mask or pretend to be someone I’m not. I can just be me, and that feels amazing.”
Bloom says she’s also found more success since transitioning. “I definitely think there’s more opportunity for trans models now than there ever has been before,” she said. ” Brands are becoming more inclusive, and that’s so important.”
Despite the progress that’s been made, Bloom knows there’s still more work to be done. “There’s a long way to go in terms of equality and inclusion, but I’m hopeful for the future,” she said.
How has transitioning affected Leyna Bloom’s career?
Leyna Bloom is an American model and actress. She is of African-American, Native American, Filipino, and Japanese descent. Bloom was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. Bloom began her career as a model, walking in shows for brands such as Pyer Moss, Chromat, and LaQuan Smith. In 2018, she made her acting debut in the film Skate Kitchen.
Since transitioning, Bloom has continued to model and act. She has appeared in campaigns for Nike, Adidas, and H&M. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in art and style. Bloom has also been outspoken about the lack of diversity in the fashion industry. In 2020, she became the first trans woman of color to be featured on the cover of Vogue India.
Transitioning can be a difficult process for anyone, but especially for those in the public eye. For Leyna Bloom, transitioning has not stopped her from pursuing her dreams. If anything, it has only made her more determined to succeed. As she continues to break barriers and pave the way for other trans people, she is sure to continue to have a successful career.
What does the future hold for Leyna Bloom?
Leyna Bloom is an up-and-coming model and actress who is quickly making a name for herself in the fashion and entertainment industries. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Leyna has always been interested in the arts. As a child, she took dance classes and was a part of her school’s choir. It wasn’t until she was discovered by a modeling agent at the age of 15 that she realized her true passion was in front of the camera.
Since then, Leyna has gone on to walk in New York Fashion Week, appear in major publications like Vogue and Elle, and star in campaigns for some of the world’s top fashion brands. She has also started to branch out into acting, with roles in independent films and music videos.
With her unique look and undeniable talent, there is no doubt that Leyna Bloom is destined for big things. So what does the future hold for this rising star? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – we’ll be seeing a lot more of Leyna Bloom in the years to come.
What advice would Leyna Bloom give to other trans women of color?
As a trans woman of color, Leyna Bloom knows a thing or two about discrimination and exclusion. In a recent interview, she offered the following advice to other trans women of color:
“First and foremost, I would advise trans women of color to love themselves unconditionally,” said Bloom. “It’s so important to love yourself and appreciate your own worth, because unfortunately the world often doesn’t.”
“Secondly, I would advise trans women of color to be unapologetic in their existence,” she continued. “We have every right to be here, and we should never apologize for who we are.”
“Lastly, I would advise trans women of color to stick together and support one another,” Bloom concluded. “There’s strength in numbers, and we need to lift each other up.”
