Bruce Jenner comes out as transgender: 'I am a woman'

Bruce Jenner has revealed that he identifies as a woman - his 'true self' and a childhood dream - in an explosive ABC interview with Diane Sawyer.



The 65-year-old Olympic gold medalist and reality TV star sparked rumors about his gender identity last year after visibly altering his appearance.

And tonight, he confirmed that he is reinventing himself physically in a bid to transition from male to female in the highly-anticipated, intimate sit-down.



Speaking in front of millions of viewers, including Kim Kardashian and her family, Bruce tearfully revealed: 'To all extents and purposes, I am a woman.

'My brain is much more female than it is male. That's what my soul is. Bruce lives a lie. She is not a lie.' He firmly added: 'I can't do it anymore.'

During the interview, Bruce also admitted that he has been taking female hormones for five years - and plans to completely transform into a woman.

However, he said he still fancied females. 'I was never attracted to the guys,' he said, explaining how his sexuality is separate to his gender identity.

And he denied that his revelations were for publicity purposes. Instead, he made them due to his inability to continue to 'pull the curtain', he said.

Many viewers and celebrities are currently taking to social media to congratulate Bruce on making a giant leap for the transgender community.

However, others are expressing concern that his TV appearance is turning transgenderism into a spectacle.

At the start of tonight's program, simply titled 'Bruce Jenner: The Interview', Diane asked Bruce: 'Are you ready?', to which he replied: 'I am, let's do it.'

The star continued: 'You know what... it's going to be tough. I've been thinking about this day forever and what I should do with my life. How do I tell my story, how do I tell people what i've been through... And that day is today.' He then asked Diane for a tissue and used it to wipe his tear-filled eyes.

Clutching the tissue, Bruce remarked: 'We have to keep our sense of humor about this. Me of all people - Bruce Jenner - has to deal with these issues.'

Seconds later, he answered the question that has been on everyone's lips for the past year - is he transitioning into a woman?

'I have always been very confused with my gender identity since I was this big,' admitted Bruce, lowering his hand to several feet above the ground.

He continued: 'My whole life has been getting me ready for this. I'm really excited about the future, about what good I could do in the world.'

He then revealed how he had explained his identity to his children. He told them: 'God's looking down, making little Bruce. He gave me all these wonderful qualities. [But then He thought] wait a second, we've got to give him something in his life to struggle with. Let's give him the soul of a female.'

Despite his self-proclaimed 'female soul', Bruce said he does not describe himself as a woman stuck in a man's body. 'I'm a person and that's who I am,' he said. 'I'm not stuck in anyone's body. It's just me. It's who I am.' He added that tonight's interview will be his last one as Bruce, as a 'he'.

And when asked if he dreams as a woman, he said he 'always' has done.