Exclusive Portrait: Caitlyn Jenner at Union League Club of Chicago

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CHICAGO – She was one of the most notorious “outings” in gender history. Caitlyn Marie Jenner, who began her life as Bruce Jenner, announced to the world in 2015 that she would identify herself as a woman. She appeared in Chicago at the Union League Club to talk about her new memoir, “The Secrets of My Life.”

Caitlyn Jenner at the Union League Club of Chicago, April 29th, 2017
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Born William Bruce Jenner, Caitlyn’s life as a man was that of a superior athlete. While as Bruce, he injured his knee playing football at Graceland College in Iowa, and a coach suggested he switch to the track-and-field decathlon. He qualified for the 1972 Olympics, but finished tenth. After an intense four year training period, he became the “World’s Greatest Athlete” by winning the decathlon at the 1976 Olympics. He capitalized on the fame of the win, and became a recognized celebrity during the late 1970s onward.

Jenner, who had been married two times previously, wed Kris Kardashian in 1991. They had two children, Kendall and Kylie, plus Bruce was stepfather to Kris’s children from a previous marriage – Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Robert – who starred in the popular reality series “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” Bruce also had a prominent role in the show, through to his divorce from Kim in 2014. One year later, Bruce Jenner became Caitlyn Jenner, by coming out as a trans woman in an interview with Diane Sawyer, and announcing her new identity in Vanity Fair magazine.

Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com was the only photographer in Chicago to get an Exclusive Portrait of Caitlyn Jenner, during her appearance at the Union League Club of Chicago. She was there on behalf of her new memoir, “The Secrets of My Life,” which was release last month.

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com