When Ravens Cheerleader Summer Wilson's friend sent her a message that she should enter the contest to be in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, she scoffed.
"I was like, ' Girl , I'm 30 years old. I think my time might have come and gone,'" Wilson said. "And then I thought about it and was like, 'Why the hell not? Why wouldn't I do this? If not now, then when?'"
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit is trying to change that with its model search this year, in which it posted a virtual open casting call amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Last summer, SI asked applicants to submit a photo and 60-second video of themselves.
This week, after many months of mystery, they revealed their top 15 . They each will have an SI photo shoot and six will be chosen to appear in the prestigious Swimsuit Edition.
Besides Wilson, there is the first-ever male model and 13 other women who represent a range of races, body types, backgrounds and ages. There's actually two women from Baltimore (women's lacrosse player/fitness instructor Alex Aust is the other).
"I don't think I've processed that it's actually happened," she said. "They did a really great job to make sure it's super inclusive. I think that's huge and something that the industry hasn't always done. That was half the reason why I wanted to do it in the first place. It's more about the person and what they do and what they represent than just what they look like."
A North Carolina native who moved to Baltimore seven years ago, Wilson had done some boutique modeling but had never professionally posed in a bikini before. Like many people, the pandemic made her re-evaluate. She had long dreamed of a more creative outlet and this seemed like an open door to explore.
Much of the past year has been presenting herself on Instagram ( you can follow her here ). She became part of a large mostly female online community that helped uplift each other and their followers.
"I just thought this is a really cool opportunity to create my own brand that's inspiring to people," Wilson said. "Get freaking fired up about whatever you're doing and persistence pays off. It's totally OK to be yourself, laugh at yourself, to not be in a filter – to be perfectly you because nobody is perfect."
Lewis Freese Is Sports Illustrated Swim's First Male Model | POPSUGAR Fashion
Lewis Freese first ever male model to make it to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit finalists |
In a first, the magazine Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has revealed finalists for its 2021 Swim Search competition, and a 21-year-old male model has made the cut. According to a report in The Independent , Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Lewis Freese is the first man in the history of the competition to make it as a finalist.
He was quoted as telling People magazine: “The entire concept of being the first male does not phase me… I really don't view myself as the first but as the next. The next model to break a barrier, the next model to have these uncomfortable conversations, the next model to be unapologetically myself.
“I am so grateful to be a part of a group of finalists who all represent completely different messages, yet have the same goal, to further inclusivity.”
Per the report, Freese had first applied for Swim Search in 2019, when he was “dealing with a lot of confusion”. “I was confused about my identity, my gender, and really where I was going to go.”
In an Instagram post, the model shared his thoughts, writing in the caption alongside a series of pictures: “Omg, i literally don't even know what to do or say but i am so so so beyond myself right now. this dream started years ago and what once seemed almost impossible is finally coming true. i cannot thank @si_swimsuit @mj_day and the entire si swim team for allowing me to spread my message throughout their platform.”
“Going through this process i have learned so much about myself and most importantly my identity. to be honest, i have noooo clue where my gender really falls at the moment but all i can do is take things day by day and share every moment with all of you (sic),” he continued.
“I hope all of you are ready to come on this ride with me because this is so much bigger than me and you, it's about starting a conversation that is barely being had. (sic),” he stated.
The annual competition was virtual this year, and an announcement on the Swim Search website said the result was “bigger and better”. " The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit franchise is all about empowerment and is a platform championing diversity, inclusion and positive change… The result was bigger and better than ever resulting in a community built around strength, support and a platform for people to connect and create moments of self-discovery.”
Christie Brinkley and son Jack pose in swimsuits on the beach
Christie Brinkley’s son, 25-year-old Jack Brinkley-Cook, took a page from his mom’s playbook by posing for a swimsuit shoot on the beach with her.
Christie, who has appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue numerous times throughout her career, looked like she was having a ball with Jack in new photos posted to Instagram, as she mugged for the camera in a black strapless one-piece, an animal-print skirt and a wide-brimmed hat.
Meanwhile, Jack, wearing a pair of green swim trunks and no shirt, struck some sweet poses beside his 67-year-old mom, holding her hand and wrapping his arm around her waist.
“🎵I've got SONSHINE on a cloudy day🎵🎶 I love you @jackbrinkleycook 💙🌊,” Christie captioned the photos on Instagram.
Jack’s girlfriend, model Nina Agdal, was a fan of the snaps and commented, “Cuties.”
Christie didn’t add the location of the beachside pictures, but she has a home in Turks & Caicos.
Jack’s not the only kid of Christie’s to strike a swimsuit-clad pose with her. In 2017, she appeared alongside her two daughters, Alexa Ray Joel and Sailor Brinkley-Cook, in a spread for the SI Swimsuit edition .
Both Joel, 35, and Sailor, 22, wrote heartfelt messages about body image when the magazine came out.
“I grew up not loving how I looked and felt held back because of it,” Sailor wrote at the time, saying she finally realized, “I don't need to be a size 0 to believe in myself.”
NYDJ Apparel Looks to Expand Its Appeal | Los Angeles Business Journal
Summer Wilson’s Time as a Ravens Cheerleader
Summer Wilson is retiring as a cheerleader to pursue an opportunity with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
Pro Days conclude Friday, and some potential Ravens draft picks raised their stock with outstanding performances.
This year's NFL draft is deep at the wide receiver position, leaving the Ravens with many potential options from Day 1 through Day 3.
Former Ravens Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue have signed with other teams, but there are veteran pass rushers remaining on the free agent market.
With a month before free agency opens, here's a look at the status of the Ravens' 21 free agents.
The Ravens have drafted more players from the Senior Bowl in recent years than any other NFL team. Take a look at some players the team evaluated in the past during the senior all-star game.
#AM_Equality: April 12, 2021 - HRC
Joe Biden is boring af, which means Republicans have to launch new culture wars to keep things exciting.
First up: trans rights. pic.twitter.com/EOcfZt8wxS
ALMOST A QUARTER OF ALL WORKERS KNOW LGBTQ EMPLOYEES ARE TREATED UNFAIRLY: A recent study found that one in four employees know their LGBTQ coworkers are treated unfairly in the workplace. This comes as approximately 6% of the U.S. workforce is part of the LGBTQ community. More from LGBTQ Nation .
🩺 ICYMI -- DR. FAUCI ON THE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE COVID-19 VACCINES: Last month, Dr. Anthony Fauci joined HRC for a town hall event focused on keeping our communities safe, providing information about the COVID-19 vaccines and getting to the other side of the pandemic. More from HRC .
HOW THE PROM 'S BREAKOUT STAR JO ELLEN PELLMAN IS HELPING LGBTQ KIDS: In the months since the release of The Prom on Netflix, Jo Ellen Pellman ( @jellpell ) has been making a difference for LGBTQ kids with the development of the Unruly Heart Initiative with her The Prom co-star Ariana DeBose ( @arianadebose ). The initiative connects young audiences with organizations that advocate for the LGBTQ community. More from The Advocate .
GENDERFLUID MODEL, LEWIS FREESE, COULD BE FIRST TO APPEAR IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S SWIMSUIT ISSUE: More from them .
Your support fuels HRC's fight for equality. By making a gift to HRC, you help resist attacks against LGBTQ rights and continuing to push equality forward.
Molly Sims Serves #VacayVibes In Mexico Wearing $239 Melissa Odabash Lilac Swimsuit
The 47-year old, who shares three children with her movie producer husband Scott Stuber , showed off her fabulously fit figure wearing a lilac-colored one-piece by Melissa Odabash . The sleek swimsuit, featuring a scooped neckline and shoulder straps decorated with golden trims, retails for $239 on odabash.com .
The Vegas alum completed her off-duty look with oversized Ray-Ban aviator shades, a gold heart-shaped pendant necklace from Shylee Rose Jewelry and giant tropical drink.
ORLANDO BLOOM DISPLAYS MUSCULAR PHYSIQUE ON DADDY-DAUGHTER WALK WITH DAISY DOVE IN HAWAII: PHOTOS
Want to get the look? Recreate her vacation style head-to-toe with similar pieces below. Cocktail not included.
A whole lot of sparkle
BUILD program alumna Mikayla Holmgren makes history as the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in a Miss USA state pageant.
Mikayla Holmgren springs up from her chair with a gleeful laugh and grabs two cases from her closet that hold her pageant crowns. As she pulls each tiara from the box, light filters through the diamonds and creates patterns across her bedroom walls. Still, Holmgren's face shines brighter than any of these diamonds – the chance to show her crowns is a chance to showcase just how hard she's worked over the past few years.
As a 26-year-old woman with Down syndrome, Holmgren has not let anything hold her back from the things she loves.
"I have Down syndrome, but I'm a dancer, I'm a public speaker [and] I'm a college graduate," Holmgren said.
In 2015, Holmgren received a packet in the mail about a pageant for women with intellectual disabilities, called the Minnesota Junior Miss Amazing pageant. She entered the pageant hoping to learn something new, but she left with a newfound passion for the world of pageants.
In 2017, Holmgren became the first woman with Down syndrome to compete at Miss Minnesota USA. She won two awards, the Miss Minnesota USA Spirit Award and the Director's Award. Holmgren plans to compete again in this summer's Miss Minnesota USA Pageant – she already has her outfit hung up on her clothing rack, a long white and nude gown with sequins and sparkles decorating it.
"It fits me like a glove," Holmgren said about her pageant gown. "I put it on and was like, 'Oh yeah, that's the one.'"
According to Holmgren, competing in pageants takes more than just walking across a stage with a smile – it also takes months of preparation. Before each competition, Holmgren prepares for interviews, picks out a gown, finds the right hair and makeup combination and practices walking in high heels. Her reason for doing it all is simple: She gets to make a difference by doing something she is passionate about.
"All my friends have special needs and that brings awareness and it inspires others. It makes people feel happy and feel more joy," Holmgren said.
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