It’s official: Bruce Jenner wants to known as Caitlyn Jenner. And she made her debut on the cover of the July issue of Vanity Fair.
Jenner, clad only in a women’s bustier, was photographed by Annie Leibovitz. Jenner told sportswriter Buzz Bissinger that she decided to come forward because “I was lying on my deathbed and I had kept this secret and never ever did anything about it, I would be lying there saying, ‘You just blew your entire life.'”
Jenner would like to only use female pronouns, her publicist told BuzzFeed News.
In a video posted on Vanity Fair’s website, Jenner said “Bruce always had to live a lie … Caitlyn doesn’t have any secrets. As soon as the Vanity Fair comes out, I’m free.”
The author of the piece, Buzz Bissinger, told the Today show on Tuesday morning that he could already see the “huge difference” in Jenner since the transition. “I think Caitlyn has found her soul that really Bruce never had. I just spoke to her yesterday and she said ‘I’m free. I can live. I don’t care about the paparazzi anymore–just make sure it’s a good shot.'”
Jenner’s stepdaughter, Khloe Kardashian, posted the Vanity Fair cover on Instagram, writing, “We were given this life because you were strong enough to live it! I couldn’t be prouder!!! Caitlyn, You are beautiful!!!”
A verified Twitter account belonging to Caitlyn Jenner went live the same time as the cover, with the bio reading, “I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.”
After being active for just over four hours, the account had gained one million followers, breaking President Barack Obama’s Twitter record (it took him five hours to break one million). But, showing no hard feelings, Obama tweeted at Jenner: “It takes courage to share your story.”
Meanwhile, ESPN confirmed on Monday that Jenner will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2015 ESPY awards on July 15, which ESPN is touting as Jenner’s “first major public appearance.”
The Jenner cover comes just one day after Jenner’s other stepdaughter, Kim, announced she is pregnant with her second baby.
