Caitlyn Jenner, the transgender Olympic champion formerly known as Bruce, unveiled her new name and sexy look Monday in a Vanity Fair covershoot – drawing widespread praise and smashing a Twitter record.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender campaigners – and many well-wishers – welcomed the high-profile debut, as did the 65-year-old Jenner’s family, which includes the media-savvy celebrity Kardashian clan.
Jenner even managed to break President Barack Obama’s record for amassing one million Twitter followers in the shortest time – about four hours.
In her first tweet after the magazine released the July cover photo by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz:
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.
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 1, 2015
“Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me,” added Jenner, who sported a cream-colored strapless bodysuit and long brown hair for Vanity Fair’s July issue.
“Caitlyn Jenner” and the hashtag #CallMeCaitlyn quickly rocketed to the top of the Twitterverse as the top trending topic in the United States and worldwide.
Jenner broke Obama’s Twitter record for the shortest time to reach one million followers, achieving the mark with her @Caitlyn_Jenner account in four hours and three minutes.
Obama – who joined Twitter as @POTUS only last month – took about 4.5 hours to reach the one million mark.
Another Jenner world record, and at 65? Who’da thought! Humbled & honored to have reached 1M followers in 4 hrs. Thank you for your support. — Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 1, 2015
Jenner was widely praised for revealing in a television interview broadcast in April that she was transitioning to life as a woman, earning praise for coming out as transgender.
LGBT groups hailed Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover story.
“By sharing her journey with the world, Caitlyn Jenner is accelerating acceptance of transgender people everywhere and reminds us all how important it is to live as your most authentic self,” GLAAD head Sarah Kate Ellis said.
“For a transgender person to step into the world as his or her authentic self is a moment of tremendous freedom,” said Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Programs, Transgender Media.
“The world can now see what Caitlyn Jenner has always known, that she is – and always has been – a woman.”
Jenner’s family quickly rallied around her on Twitter.
be free now pretty bird. — Kendall Jenner (@KendallJenner) June 1, 2015
Caitlyn Jenner for Vanity Fair 📷 Annie Leibovitz! How beautiful! Be happy, be proud, live life YOUR way! pic.twitter.com/39fryBwUqE
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 1, 2015
Freedom! Stunning. #Caitlyn https://t.co/IHHEfTR0Mw
— Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) June 1, 2015
Jenner became an American sports hero by setting a world record in the decathlon in the 1976 Olympics.
But it was through a previous marriage to Kris Kardashian that Jenner once again became a household name with the reality TV series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” appearing as the sometimes bemused stepfather of her flamboyant daughters.
The couple married in 1991 and have two daughters together, Kendall and Kylie. They recently divorced.
The followers too have been going gaga over the cover of Caitlyn Jenner:
@Caitlyn_Jenner you’re so beautiful, always be yourself and don’t care about people say, be brave and show the world who you truly are! — yüyi (@wtfcksgaga) June 1, 2015
“@Caitlyn_Jenner taking social media by storm.. go girl pic.twitter.com/iQUOEvoTtg — Kim Enson (@KimEnsonTV) June 1, 2015
