In the 1970s, Caitlyn Jenner became a famous athlete, winning a gold medal and setting a world record at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. After her sports career, she found success in the entertainment industry.
Today, Caitlyn is well-known not just for her athletic achievements but also for her brave decision to come out as transgender and undergo hormone treatments for her gender transition. This has made her a role model for many.
Despite her transition, Caitlyn admits that the “old Bruce” still lives inside her. Here’s everything you need to know about Caitlyn Jenner’s remarkable journey.
Early Life and Athletic Talent
Caitlyn Jenner was born William Bruce Jenner on October 28, 1949, in Mount Kisco, New York. She struggled with dyslexia as a child, but sports became her sanctuary. Excelling in football, basketball, and water skiing during high school, it was track and field that became her true passion.
Originally receiving a football scholarship from Graceland College in Iowa, a knee injury led her to switch to track and field. Caitlyn’s college track coach, L.D. Weldon, encouraged her to train for the Olympic decathlon, believing she was perfect for the event.
Olympic Glory
Caitlyn’s dedication paid off. In 1971, she won the Kansas Relays, and a year later, she made the U.S. Olympic team, finishing 10th in the decathlon at the Munich Olympics. Determined to do better, she trained intensively for four years.
By the time of the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Caitlyn was ready. She won the decathlon and set a new world record with 8,618 points, becoming a national hero at a time when the U.S. needed one.
Despite being celebrated as a symbol of masculinity, Caitlyn felt like a woman inside even when receiving her gold medal. “I see a confused person at that time, running away from my life … with big-time fear,” Caitlyn told ABC.
Fame and Personal Struggles
After the Olympics, Caitlyn’s fame skyrocketed. She appeared in ads, TV shows, and movies. However, she felt like a fraud living as Bruce Jenner. Caitlyn married her college sweetheart, Chrystie Scott, in 1971. They had two children, Burt and Cassandra, but divorced by the time Cassandra was born.
Speaking about her struggles with gender identity, Caitlyn said, “I didn’t go heavily into it back then. I said, ‘These are my issues. This is what I deal with.'”
Caitlyn married Linda Thompson in 1981, with whom she had sons Brody and Brandon. The couple divorced five years later, partly due to Caitlyn’s gender identity struggles. Despite their separation, Thompson supported Caitlyn, hoping her transition would inspire others.
Transition and New Beginnings
Caitlyn began hormone treatments and had cosmetic procedures in the late ’80s but stopped transitioning at 39. She revealed her gender crisis to her sister Pam and later resumed her transition after separating from Kris Jenner in 2013.
Caitlyn and Kris’s union, which produced Caitlyn’s most famous children, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, ended in 2014. Caitlyn finally opened up to all her children about her transition and received their full support.
Life as Caitlyn
Today, Caitlyn lives a different life, embracing her identity while maintaining aspects of her past, like racing cars and flying planes. She is content with her decision and continues to inspire others. Caitlyn said, “I feel it was one of the best decisions I made.”
Despite her transition, Caitlyn feels that “Bruce” still lives inside her. She remains a father to her children, stating, “I’ve got to do it my way that works for me… I’m the dad, I’ve been the dad the whole way, I will be their father until the day they die or I die.”
With a net worth of around $100 million, Caitlyn Jenner is a fearless individual and a role model for many.
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