'Stop staring,' says Caitlyn Jenner, announcing genital surgery

Caitlyn Jenner says she has undergone genital surgery, two years after the Olympic-winning decathlete announced she had transitioned to a woman.

Jenner, 67, one of the most-high profile American transgender woman, says in an upcoming memoir that she had the surgery in January, and that she decided to go public "so all of you can stop staring."

"You want to know, so now you know. Which is why this is the first time, and the last time, I will ever speak of it," Jenner wrote in leaked excerpts of her memoir "The Secrets of My Life."

The excerpts were published by RadarOnline on Monday ahead of the April 25 publication of the memoir. Grand Central Publishing said on Tuesday it did not wish to discuss the contents ahead of the publication date and Jenner's representative had no comment.

Jenner announced her new identity in an April 2015 TV interview and announced her change of name from Bruce to Caitlyn in a July 2015 Vanity Fair cover shoot. Jenner, the step-father of reality stars Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian, later had her own TV reality show which documented her transition.

According to the excerpts, Jenner said the surgery, which is costly and complex, was successful and that she feels "not only wonderful but liberated."

She said having a penis had "no special gifts or use for me... I just want to have all the right parts. I am also tired of tucking the damn thing in all the time."

Many transgender people share Jenner's distress over being asked intrusive questions about their genitals, although most forgo gender reassignment surgery, citing the high cost.

Only 11 percent of transgender women had their testicles removed and 12 percent underwent vaginoplasty, according to a 2016 U.S. survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality.

(Additional reporting by Dan Trotta; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)

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Jenner's offer to be 'trans ambassador' for Cruz draws some fire

LOS ANGELES - Reality star Caitlyn Jenner's offer to be a "trans ambassador" to U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz drew criticism on Friday from some members of the LGBT community, but major transgender rights organizations stayed out of the fray.

Jenner told gay and lesbian publication The Advocate in an interview posted this week that she admired Cruz despite the social conservative's stance on transgender issues.

The 66-year-old Olympic gold medalist turned television personality called Cruz a "great constitutionalist" and said she would like to advise him on questions relating to her community.

"Yes, trans ambassador to the president of the United States, so we can say, 'Ted, love what you're doing but here's what's going on,'" Jenner, who last year became the most high-profile American to transition to a different gender, told The Advocate.

The muted reaction to Jenner's support for Cruz appeared to show the high level of esteem she enjoys in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. But that did not stop some of its members speaking out.

"Doing my best to not send tweets to a woman I respect for her courage, but dang it, @Caitlyn_Jenner you're killing me with Cruz support!" Chely Wright, the first country music star to come out as gay, wrote in a post on Twitter.

Some in the LGBT community took a more pointed stand, citing Cruz's opposition to same-sex marriage and his criticism of government efforts to allow students to use a bathroom that conforms to their gender identity.

In January, at a campaign stop in Iowa, Cruz said "inflicting" transgender students on teachers by allowing them to use a faculty restroom in line with their gender identity was better than having them share a bathroom with other students, according to video from NBC News.

Zack Ford, the LGBT editor at ThinkProgress, a website affiliated with the left-leaning Center for American Progress, wrote in a post that Jenner's support for Republicans like Cruz taints her "credibility."

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said Jenner's comments highlight the fact a significant share of transgender people are Republicans.

"One would hope that transgender people would support philosophies that are helpful and not harmful to trans people," she said, adding that Jenner might have taken that into consideration before offering her support to Cruz.

A representative for the gay rights group GLAAD declined to comment and a spokeswoman for Cruz could not be reached. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis and Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Andrew Hay)

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Caitlyn Jenner legally a woman

LOS ANGELES, United States - A US judge on Friday approved a request by Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner to have her name and gender legally changed.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Gerald Rosenberg issued the ruling during a brief hearing that was not attended by Jenner.

The transgender Olympian formerly known as Bruce Jenner sought the court ruling earlier this month but asked that much of her file remain under seal to protect her privacy and safety.

"I believe the widespread dissemination of my personal information will compromise both my privacy and my safety given the public interest in my transition, which is not all positive, and will significantly increase the likelihood I would receive further threatening attention," Jenner, 65, said.

Friday's ruling means that Jenner's birth name William Bruce Jenner will now be replaced by Caitlyn Marie Jenner.

Jenner became an American sports hero by setting a world record in the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

But it was through marriage to the former Kris Kardashian -- matriarch of the television reality show empire with whom he had two daughters -- that Jenner once again became a household name.

Jenner came out as a transgender woman in a television interview in April, when she discussed how she had been grappling her gender identity since childhood.

She unveiled her new first name and look in June.

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Meet man who switched genders twice

Just like American Olympian Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) and Filipina model Geena Rocero, Vince Santiago transitioned from a man to a woman, but unlike them, he decided later on to switch back to his original gender.

In an interview that aired on "3 in 1" Tuesday, the Christian pastor described his sex change at 24 years old -- he underwent surgery to modify his genitals -- as "the fulfillment of my dream."

However, after marrying a British man and living as a woman for five years, Santiago underwent a certain "paranoia" as he started to contend with conflicting desires of his heart, mind and sex.

Watch as he explains what convinced him to return to being a man:

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LOOK: Caitlyn Jenner on Vanity Fair cover

US Olympic champion turned reality TV star Bruce Jenner is on the cover of Vanity Fair, as Caitlyn Jenner.

Jenner, the stepfather of Kim Kardashian, earlier revealed he is transitioning from male to female, ending long-running speculation he identifies as a woman.

The 65-year-old said he had wrestled with his sexual identity since he was a kid.

"I've always been confused about my gender identity since I was this big," he told ABC's celebrity interviewer Diane Sawyer.

"Here I am, stuck -- and I hate the word -- (a) girl stuck in a guy's body... As of now I have all the male parts and all that kind of stuff."

But asked point blank if he was a woman, Jenner said: "Yes. For all intents and purposes, I'm a woman."

Speculation that the actor, race-car enthusiast and 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics decathlon gold medalist was undergoing a sex change has been rich fodder for supermarket tabloids for months.

Supposed telltale signs, based on paparazzi photos from the streets of Los Angeles, include shaved limbs, long hair worn in a ponytail and what appears to be a sports bra under a T-shirt.

'I am not gay'

Jenner said he identifies himself as "her," but not by a specific name. The ABC interviewer used "he" and "him" throughout, without causing any apparent discomfort for the former Olympian.

He stressed the difference between gender identity and sexuality.

"I am not gay," Jenner said. "I am, as far as I know, heterosexual. I've always been with a woman, raising kids."

Just before making the long-expected announcement, Jenner symbolically let his hair down.

"Let's take the damn ponytail out," he told Sawyer, smiling.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights group GLAAD welcomed Jenner's announcement.

"Though Jenner's journey is one that is deeply personal, it is also one that will impact and inspire countless people around the world," GLAAD head Sarah Kate Ellis said.

Singer Miley Cyrus gushed on Twitter: "I LOOOOVE LOOOVE LOOOVE Bruce Jenner!!!!!!!"

Born outside New York in October 1949, thrice-married Jenner became an American sports hero when he set a world record with his Montreal decathlon victory.

Leveraging his fame, he appeared on boxes of Wheaties, a popular American cereal known as "the breakfast of champions," then tried his hand as a movie actor, with less than stellar results.

But it was through his marriage to the former Kris Kardashian that he once again became a household name in "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" in which he appeared as the sometimes bemused stepfather of her flamboyant daughters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe.

The couple have two daughters of their own, but they obtained a divorce in December, 14 months after separating -- although he has been seen still wearing a wedding ring.

Hero once again
"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," Kris Jenner tweeted.

Jenner's 89-year-old mother Esther hailed her son's announcement, comparing her pride to that when he won at the Olympics.

"I never thought I could be more proud of you. But I'm learning I can be," she wrote.

Jenner's son Brandon tweeted simply: "Proud son," along with an Instagram picture of himself as a young boy perched on his smiling father's shoulders.

Step-daughter Kim Kardashian trumpeted:

"Love is the courage to live the truest, best version of yourself. Bruce is love. I love you Bruce. #ProudDaughter."

Her sister Khloe wrote: "Bruzer, I'm soooo proud of you! Dads really are heros."

National Center for Transgender Equality advocacy group executive director Mara Keisling called Jenner's declaration "one of the most profound displays of bravery and courage I've seen."

Jenner, clearly relieved to have finally come clean, said: "I'm saying goodbye to people's perceptions of me and who I am.

"I'm not saying goodbye to me because this has always been me." - with a report from Agence France-Presse

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Bruce Jenner 'gender change' captures US attention

WASHINGTON - Olympic champion turned reality TV star Bruce Jenner has Americans' rapt attention once again amid talk that he is soon to come out as transgender.

People magazine, a trusted conduit for Hollywood publicists, reported this week that Jenner, 65, would open up in a forthcoming interview with ABC News.

"Bruce is transitioning to a woman," the celebrity news weekly quoted a source close to the family as saying, after weeks of tabloid speculation.

"He is finally happy and his family is accepting of what he's doing. He's in such a great space. That's why it's the perfect time to do something like this."

Jenner's 88-year-old mother Esther Jenner, who lives in Idaho, meanwhile told RadarOnline.com that she had "just learned" about her son's gender transition.

"I have never been more proud of Bruce for who he is, himself as a father, as an Olympian, a wonderful public speaker," she told the gossip website.

"He instills enthusiasm in people. He's gifted."

In the latest twist, the Kardashian family -- into which Jenner has been married -- cancelled all press events Thursday in the run-up to season 10 of their hit reality TV show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

Jenner himself has been lying low, ahead of the premiere of a documentary that will reportedly chronicle his gender transition.

Speculation that the actor, race-car enthusiast and 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics decathlon gold medallist is undergoing a sex change has been rich fodder for supermarket tabloids for months.

Supposed telltale signs, based on paparazzi photos from the streets of Los Angeles, include shaved limbs, long hair worn in a ponytail and what appears to be a sports bra under a T-shirt.

Throat surgery clue

In late January, Jenner was seen emerging from a Beverly Hills clinic with a bandage around neck, presumably after surgery to flatten his Adam's apple.

Known as a laryngeal shave, the procedure -- which involves reducing cartilage in the throat for a more feminine look -- is common among transgenders.

"I just never liked my trachea," he told the TMZ.com gossip website prior to the outpatient operation.

American society is widely perceived as becoming more accepting of gender diversity, as seen by the legalization of same-sex marriage in many states.

Transgender people, however, still face "staggering levels of discrimination and violence," according to LGBT media activist group GLAAD.

In the media, they typically appear as either victims or villains, GLAAD said, although the Golden Globe-winning Amazon original series "Transparent" has cast them in a more sympathetic light.

Born outside New York in October 1949, thrice-married Jenner became an American sports hero when he set a world record with his Montreal decathlon victory.

Leveraging his fame, he appeared on boxes of Wheaties, a popular American cereal known as "the breakfast of champions," then tried his hand as a movie actor, with less than stellar results.

He did better on television, appearing in the 1980s police series "CHiPs" and sitcom "Silver Spoons" among other shows, and in 2003 the American version of "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!"

But it was through his marriage to the former Kris Kardashian that he once again became a household name in "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" in which he appeared as the sometimes bemused stepfather of her flamboyant daughters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe.

"I had it all, and then I met Kris," he quipped in one episode.

"It's typical for me to be forgotten in this family," he added in another.

He and Kris Kardashian have two daughters of their own, but they obtained a divorce in December, 14 months after separating -- although he has been seen still wearing a wedding ring.

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Bruce Jenner has told the Kardashians he is transgender: People

Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner has told family members, including reality TV personalities the Kardashians, that he is becoming a woman and they have pledged their support, People magazine reported on Wednesday.

The 65-year-old former decathlete, who according to published reports will star in an upcoming reality series documenting his transition, made the revelation to his ex-wife Kris Jenner, his children and her sons and daughters from a previous marriage.

"Bruce told them everything - where things stood, what his plans were for the future, and what everyone could expect," a source identified by People as a "family insider" told the magazine. "Everyone basically knew what was up, but it was still a shock to hear it outlined so explicitly."

The source told People that all of Jenner's family members "came around pretty quickly" to the news, adding: "All they want is for him to be happy."

News website Buzzfeed.com has reported that Jenner, who won a gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, would come out as transgender in an interview with TV personality Diane Sawyer on ABC.

Buzzfeed and other entertainment news outlets have also reported that Jenner would star in a reality TV show about his transition on the E! television network.

Representatives for ABC and for E! have declined to comment on those reports to Reuters. Jenner's agent Brian Dow did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Kim Kardashian hinted to TV program "Entertainment Tonight" last week that Jenner was "going through" something. "I feel like that's his journey to talk about," she said.

The Kardashian sisters, and their brother, are from Kris Jenner's previous marriage to Robert Kardashian.

Jenner's website, brucejenner.com, contains only a message saying that content would be coming soon and offering a contact for personal appearances, speaking engagements and "public awareness campaigns."

Since 2007 members of the Kardashian family, including Jenner's daughters, have starred in a popular reality TV series on E! "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" that have turned them into household names and tabloid fodder.

The story can be viewed here: here,,20898548,00.html

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Andrew Hay)

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Reality TV stars Kris, Bruce Jenner to divorce

LOS ANGELES -- Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian reality television family, on Monday filed for divorce from her husband Bruce Jenner, the gold medal-winning Olympic decathlete, almost a year after they announced their separation.

Kris Jenner, 58, cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce petition, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court said. The couple announced their separation in October last year.

Kris Jenner is the star, along with her daughters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe, of "Keeping up with the Kardashians," a reality show on U.S. cable network E!. They also star together in spin-off shows.

The couple married in 1991 and they have two teenage daughters, Kendall and Kylie, who appear on the Kardashian reality TV programs.

Bruce Jenner, 64, won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

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