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Meet Caitlyn Jenner on cover of Vanity Fair

By Katie McLeod Globe Staff,June 1, 2015, 12:52 p.m.

Since Bruce Jenner confirmed to Diane Sawyer that he is a transgender woman, the former Olympic athlete had not revealed the name he would like to be called as a female. But Vanity Fair has shared the news on its July 2015 cover — tweeted today — which shows a photo of Jenner dressed in sexy lingerie with the headline, "Call me Caitlyn." Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz is credited with taking the portrait in Jenner's Malibu home, and contributing editor Buzz Bissinger with the story that will be published in the magazine's upcoming issue.

"If I was lying on my deathbed and I had kept this secret and never ever did anything about it, I would be lying there saying, 'You just blew your entire life,'" Jenner told Bissinger, according to Vanity Fair.

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Caitlyn also debuted a verified Twitter account, and at the time of this post as of 4:45 p.m., she has amassed more than one million followers and has sent two tweets, including one sharing the cover image as well as this message:

"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."

Vanity Fair describes how Jenner underwent a 10-hour facial-feminization surgery in March, and writes that Caitlyn compares posing for the cover to winning the Olympic gold medal.

The magazine also published a behind-the-scenes video of Leibovitz's photo shoot, in which Jenner says, "The last few days in doing this shoot was about my life and who I am as a person. It's not about the fanfare, it's not about people cheering in the stadium, it's not about going down the street and everybody giving you a 'that a boy, Bruce,' pat on the back. OK? This is about your life."

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She goes on, "Bruce always had to tell a lie. He was always living that lie. Every day he always had a secret, from morning 'til night. Caitlyn doesn't have any secrets. As soon as the Vanity Fair cover comes out, I'm free."

The photo spread captures old Hollywood glamour.

In May, Jenner's stepdaughter Kim Kardashian West opened up to "Access Hollywood" about meeting "her" for the first time. "It was amazing and she looked beautiful, really beautiful," Kim said during the interview.

As for how she feels about the Vanity Fair cover, Kim tweeted:

Jenner's daughter Kendall and stepdaughter Khloe Kardashian also tweeted support:

More coverage:

• Icon of sport and unreality TV, Jenner finds a truth inside

• Joanna Weiss: Bruce Jenner's best next step is reality TV

• Kim Kardashian backs Bruce Jenner's transition

• Families with a transgender child learn and change

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