Caitlyn Jenner is one of the most famous women in the Kardashian-Jenner clan, and not just because she used to be Bruce Jenner. After her gender transition back in 2015, this reality TV star has been in news headlines for plenty of controversial stories. Here are the top things you need to know about Caitlyn Jenner and her rollercoaster of a life journey up until now.
1.She turned her back on the trans community
As a trans woman herself, you would think that Caitlyn is all about equality and empowering her community. However, recently she’s been in the hot seat for some transphobic comments about trans folks in the athletic community, saying, “This is a question of fairness. That’s why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls’ sports in school. It just isn’t fair. And we have to protect girls’ sports in our schools.” The community wasn’t happy, to say the least.
2. She was once an Olympian
Jenner is no stranger to the world of sports. In 1972, she received 10th place at the Munich Olympics. Just 3 years later, she set a world record in Eugene, Oregon at a decathlon. Then, the big year was 1976, where Bruce Jenner won a gold medal in the Montreal Olympics decathlon, breaking the record previously set in 1975.
3. She has a total of 6 kids
From her three different marriages to Kris Jenner, Linda Thompson, and Chrystie Crownover. With Kris, there’s Kendall and Kylie, of course. With Linda, there’s Brandon and Brody, and with Chrystie, she had Burt and Cassandra. Chrystie was her first wife, and then she met Kris in 1990 on a blind date. The two dated for only 5 months before tying the knot, and had an epic 23-year-long ride together — one that most of us got to witness on TV.
4. No stranger to learning disabilities
Jenner is dyslexic, and has been aware of it since childhood. In school, she struggled from a young age, which is exactly why she turned to sports and found joy through track and field, which was her preferred method of communication over the written word.
5. Transitioning was tough for the whole family
Looking back on her experience, Caitlyn talked about how the family hadn’t processed something like this before. About the transition, Caitlyn said, “It was hard because I wanted to be the best parent I could be and do the right thing and I didn’t know what that meant in that situation.”
6. Talent managers for her kids
After KUWTK went completely viral and gained a worldwide, cult-like following, Jenner became a talent manager to Khloe, Kourtney, and Kim, along with Kylie and Kendall! About it, Jenner told Variety mag, “When it’s your child, you go over and above anything that would be required of you if you were just a proper person getting a typical paycheck,”
7. She revealed the show was rarely edited
We’re not sure how much we buy this, given the lengthy NDAs that everyone who spend time around the Kardashian-Jenner were forced to sign, but according to Caitlyn Jenner, the family barely edited things they said or did on the show, explaining, “We definitely look at the cuts afterward when they’re put together and strung out and there’s very, very little that we ever take out.“
8. She was a sport commentator after her Olympic triumph
After making a name for herself back in 1976, Jenner was an active network TV sports commentator. At that time, she was known as Bruce, and Bruce was everywhere. He lectured, published multiple books, and even made TV commercials.
9. A foray into films
Apart from reality TV, Jenner’s most popular role in a movie was Can’t Stop The Music, a film where Jenner played a lawyer who came to be friends with a group of musicians. Her co star Steve Guttenberg, at the time, told the publication he was Jenner’s “biggest supporter and lifelong friend”. She also made an appearance in Murder She Wrote and some other TV shows.
10. I Am Cait
Most of the world had their eyes opened to Caitlyn’s journey into transitioning to a transgender woman, and it was released in July 2015. It ran two seasons long, and while her attempt to raise visibility for trans people was praised by some, it was considered controversial by others due to her conservative, Republican stances on many topics (like the one we started this list with).
