Caitlyn Jenner is celebrating her fifth anniversary!
It seems like forever ago (SO MUCH has happened in the last few years…), but it was exactly five years ago this month that the now-70-year-old former Olympic star declared “Call My Caitlyn” in a spread for the world to take notice in Vanity Fair. And with that, the odyssey of Caitlyn Jenner (and her reality show, and her politics, and her famous family, and on and on) was born.
Related: Caitlyn Walked In On Sophia Hutchins When She Had A Guy Over! Oops!
The reality TV star is feeling nostalgic about all that this month, and has taken some time to look back on her transition in the summer of 2015 following a lifetime battling gender dysphoria. Speaking to People about the whole process, which followed on the heels of a divorce from then-third wife Kris Jenner, Caitlyn revealed the transition itself didn’t actually sink in with the Vanity Fair cover, or in coming out to family members, or anything like that.
No, strangely enough, it was her new driver’s license! The longtime public figure recalled the moment she held her new driver’s license in her hands, saying:
“It was so emotional. There I was. Caitlyn Marie Jenner. But then, I wondered, did Bruce deserve to be thrown away like this? He did a lot of good things. He raised 10 kids. But I wasn’t turning around. Bruce did just about everything he can do. He raised 10 kids. Now what does Caitlyn do?”
Well, that was a good question at the time!
Initially, she thought her role was to be one of activism — of trying to “change the world’s thinking,” as she herself put it in the interview.
But a life of supporting Republican politics before that left her ill-prepared for the social world she would soon face, including backlash from fellow members of the LGBTQ community.
Caitlyn remembered that realization and its consequences, saying:
“I thought, what a great opportunity to change the world’s thinking; 51 percent of trans people attempt suicide. The murder rate — we’ve been losing one trans woman of color every two weeks. But [critics] said I’m ‘too controversial.’ And that hurt. I think I had been wearing rose-colored glasses. I thought I could change the world. Now I know I can only try and change one person at a time.”
Very interesting!
Related: Would Caitlyn Ever Actually Join The Cast Of ‘RHOBH’?!
No doubt it’s been quite the journey for her to get to this point, here five years after first announcing her ground-breaking transition to the world. And even with the tough times still firmly in her memory, the I Am Cait star and longtime Malibu resident feels good about the progress she’s made.
More from Caitlyn, who summed things up nicely with what sounds like a healthy outlook on her life as it stands now:
“I’ve changed my thinking in a lot of ways. We need equality for all, regardless of who’s in the White House. I love my community. I truly want to help. This is my journey. Yes, it is different than other trans people. I get it. But the bottom line is this: When I wake up in the morning, I’m happy with myself.”
You, us, or Caitlyn, no matter the journey, a big AMEN to that last point!
Truly a lesson well-learned right there!
What do U make of Caitlyn’s five-year anniversary, Perezcious readers?? Does it feel like it’s been that long?! It sorta feels like it was yesterday… and also about 500 years ago… ya know?! LOLz!!
Sound OFF with your opinions about Caitlyn and her current outlook on life down in the comments (below)!!!
[Image via WENN/Instar]
Related Posts
