Bruce Jenner: I'm A Woman

Via ABC News:

Bruce Jenner was once hailed as the greatest athlete in the world and later became a reality television star with one of the world’s most famous families. Now, the former Olympian is revealing a secret that has caused him turmoil for decades. “For all intents and purposes, I’m a woman,” Jenner told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview that aired Friday in a special two-hour edition of ABC News’ “20/20.” “People look at me differently. They see you as this macho male, but my heart and my soul and everything that I do in life -- it is part of me,” Jenner, 65, said. “That female side is part of me. That’s who I am.”

In hours of interviews with Sawyer in New York and California, Jenner detailed his internal struggles with being transgender, which he said he has wrestled with since childhood. During the interview, Jenner referred to himself using male pronouns and ABC News has chosen to follow his lead, though he also referred to himself as “Bruce” and “her.” “I look at it this way—Bruce always telling a lie. He’s lived a lie his whole life about who he is. And I can’t do that any longer,” Jenner said. “My brain is much more female than it is male,” he added. “It’s hard for people to understand that, but that’s what my soul is.”

During the interview Jenner revealed having cross-dressed since early childhood, but said that there had been no attraction to other boys. Quoting a researcher, Diana Sawyer said, "Sexuality orientation is who you go to bed with. Gender identity is who you go to bed as." Jenner: "It's apples and oranges." More on that:

Jenner tells ABC that when it comes to attraction, “No, I’m not gay. I am not gay. I am, as far as I know -- heterosexual.” “I’ve never been with a guy -- I’ve always been married, raising kids, doing all that kind of stuff.” Jenner adds. "There’s two different things here. Sexuality is who you personally are attracted to—who turns you on— male or female. But gender identity has to do with who you are as a person and your soul, and who you identify with inside, okay?"

Overall, the show was thoughtful, revealing, and both sad and light-hearted, often in the same moment. Towards the end Jenner also came out as a conservative Republican who is no fan of President Obama, which surely exploded many heads across Teabagistan. Log Cabin immediately rushed out a press release:

As the nation’s only organization representing LGBT conservatives and straight allies, Log Cabin Republicans congratulates Bruce Jenner in the tremendous courage he demonstrated tonight, being true to himself both in terms of his personal identity as well as his political identity. There is a home for you in Log Cabin Republicans — as there is for all lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender conservatives and straight allies.

The weekend news cycle will doubtlessly be dominated by reactions and analysis of tonight's show (sorry about that NOM!) and I'll have more tomorrow.