Celebrity News April 24, 2015
Bruce Jenner Tells Diane Sawyer: 'I Am a Woman'
Former Olympian Bruce Jenner opened up to Diane Sawyer in an exclusive “20/20” interview, revealing that “For all intents and purposes, I am a woman.”
During the emotional sit-down, he revealed, “I've always been very confused with my gender identity,” adding, “My brain is much more female than it is male… it's hard for people to understand that, but that's what my soul is.”
Later, Jenner traveled back to his hometown in suburban New York, and told Sawyer he had been struggling with his identity since before age 10, recalling how he used to wear his sister's and mother's clothing.
“I didn't know why I was doing it, except it just made me feel good,” he said.
When discussing sexuality, Bruce explained that he's not gay. “Sexuality was totally different than what my issues were,” the 65-year-old said. “And I always felt heterosexual... I am not gay… as far as I know, I am heterosexual.”
His current transition isn't his first. Jenner revealed that he took hormones for about five years in the 1980s. It was also around that time that he started altering his appearance.
The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star laughed off rumors that it was all a publicity stunt, asking Diane, "Do you have any idea what I've been going through my entire life, and then they are going to say I'm doing this for publicity for a show?"
He also revealed that Kim was the first of the girls that he told. "Kim caught me one time [in a dress], walked in... she [didn't say anything] just kind of walked out jumped in the car and went for a ride. I tried to call her to say, 'Hey, are you okay?' It was this big secret in the family."
Bruce said he confessed his secret to all of his ex wives at some point in their marriages, adding that ex Kris always brushed off his cross dressing. “Kris and I had so many great years together and we raised phenomenal children,” he said. “I loved Kris and I had a wonderful life with her. I learned a lot from her. I thought we had a pretty good sex life.”
“Kris is a good woman, I got no complaints with her. Honestly, if she had been really good with it, understanding, we'd still be together,” he added.
Jenner's journey will continue on E! The network announced the launch of a new eight-part documentary series set to debut on July 26 at 9 PM.
Support for Bruce started pouring in immediately, and continued for days. His ex wives shared their reactions on social media and in interviews.
Jenner's first wife Chrystie Scott, who watched the special with Bruce, his second wife Linda Thompson and their children, told "Good Morning America," “It's so hard to wrap your head around it, especially because he was such a manly man and he didn't display any female style in any way. He never indicated anything feminine in his demeanor. It was pretty hard to wrap my head around it, but it didn't threaten me. It didn't threaten our marriage. It wasn't really a threat. It wasn't a problem.”
She added that seeing his life story, and all the anguish, was painful, “It broke my heart. I reached over and tried to give him a little bit of comfort. It broke my heart for him. It was sad.”
Thompson shared a photo of Bruce on Instagram with the message, "Once a champion of Olympian magnitude...now a champion for those who share the struggle to just be who they are. #compassion #acceptance #tolerance #education #evolution #kindness #inclusion #freedom #peace."
Kris, who watched the west coast feed of the special with Bruce, tweeted, "Not only was I able to call him my husband for 25 years and father of my children, I am now able to call him my hero."
Bruce's stepdaughter Khloé Kardashian tweeted, "Worlds Greatest Athlete," while Kim Kardashian told "Today," "I'm really happy for him that he is living his life the way he wants to live it, and that he has found inner peace and just pure happiness. That's what life is about."
This post has been updated.