History of Caitlyn Jenner in Timeline

Caitlyn Jenner is an American media personality and retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete. Formerly known as Bruce Jenner, she gained fame for her athletic achievements and later transitioned and publicly came out as a transgender woman in 2015. This transition brought her significant media attention, making her a prominent figure in the transgender community and an advocate for transgender rights. She has since appeared in reality television shows and used her platform to speak about her experiences and promote transgender awareness.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

October 28, 1949: William Bruce Jenner's Birth

On October 28, 1949, Caitlyn Marie Jenner, formerly known as William Bruce Jenner, was born in Mount Kisco, New York.

Others born on this day/year

1968: High School Graduation

In 1968, Jenner graduated from Newtown High School in Newtown, Connecticut.

1970: Decathlon Debut

In 1970, Jenner debuted as a decathlete in the Drake Relays decathlon in Des Moines, Iowa, finishing in fifth place.

1972: Decision to Dedicate to Decathlon

In 1972, Jenner decided to dedicate four years to the decathlon, with the intention of moving on afterwards.

1972: U.S. Olympic Trials and Inspiration

In 1972, Jenner qualified for the Olympic team at the U.S. Olympic Trials and later competed in the Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Inspired by Mykola Avilov, Jenner began an intense training regimen.

1973: Decathlon Competition

From 1973 to 1976, Jenner competed in the decathlons.

1973: College Graduation

In 1973, Jenner graduated from Graceland College with a degree in physical education.

August 1974: Track & Field News Cover

In August 1974, Jenner was featured on the cover of Track & Field News magazine as the American champion in the men's decathlon event.

1975: AAU National Championships Loss

In 1975, Jenner experienced a loss at the AAU National Championships due to a "no height" in the pole vault.

1975: Championship Wins

In 1975, Jenner won the French national championship and a gold medal at the Pan American Games, setting a tournament record.

August 9, 1976: Sports Illustrated Cover

Jenner appeared on the cover of the August 9, 1976, issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.

November 30, 1976: Brother's Death

On November 30, 1976, Jenner's younger brother, Burt, died in a car accident in Canton, Connecticut.

1976: Decathlon Competition

From 1973 to 1976, Jenner competed in the decathlons.

1976: Awards and Recognition

In 1976, Jenner received the James E. Sullivan Award and was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.

1976: Olympic Trials Record

In 1976, Jenner set a world record at the Olympic trials in Eugene.

1976: Intense Training

In 1976, Jenner trained for the Games, 6–8 hours a day, every day, 365 days a year.

1976: Saturday Night Live Parody

In 1976, The "hero shot", the finish of the final event of the 1976 Olympic decathlon, and the Wheaties cover, were parodied by John Belushi on Saturday Night Live, endorsing "Little Chocolate Donuts".

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1976: Olympic Gold Medal Win

In 1976, at the Olympic Games in Montreal, Jenner won the gold medal in the men's decathlon with a world-record score of 8,618 points.

November 22, 1977: Defense of Wheaties Advertising

On November 22, 1977, Jenner defended Wheaties advertising against charges of deceptive practices, leading to the withdrawal of the suit.

1977: Wheaties Spokesperson

In 1977, Jenner became a spokesperson for Wheaties brand breakfast cereal and appeared on the cover of the cereal box.

1977: NBA Draft Selection

In 1977, Jenner was selected by the Kansas City Kings in the NBA draft as a publicity stunt.

1978: America Alive! Co-host

In 1978, Jenner co-hosted the short-lived daytime talk and variety series America Alive!.

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February 1979: Gentleman's Quarterly Cover

In February 1979, Jenner appeared on the cover of Gentleman's Quarterly.

1980: National Track and Field Hall of Fame

In 1980, Jenner was inducted into the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

1980: Olympic Record Broken

In 1980, Jenner's 1976 world and Olympic record was broken by Daley Thompson.

1980: Can't Stop the Music Film Debut

In 1980, Jenner's first film appearance was in the comedy Can't Stop the Music. The golden moment an Olympic love story came out this year as well.

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1981: Olympic Decathlon Video Game

In 1981, Jenner appeared in the video game Olympic Decathlon.

1981: Grambling's White Tiger

In 1981, Jenner starred in the made-for-TV movie Grambling's White Tiger.

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1982: CHiPs Guest Star

During the 1981–1982 season, Jenner became a semi-regular cast member in the police series CHiPs, guest-starring as Officer Steve McLeish for six episodes.

1984: Wheaties Spokesperson Succession

In 1984, Mary Lou Retton succeeded Jenner as a spokesperson for Wheaties.

1985: Silver Spoons Appearance

In 1985, Jenner appeared in an episode of the sitcom Silver Spoons called "Trouble with Words", revealing personal issues with dyslexia.

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1985: Decathlon Score Reevaluation

In 1985, Jenner's Olympic decathlon score from 1976 was reevaluated against the IAAF's updated scoring table and reported as 8,634.

1986: Olympic Hall of Fame

In 1986, Jenner was inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame.

1989: Dirty Tennis Comedy Short

In 1989, Jenner played herself in the comedy short Dirty Tennis written by James Van Patten.

1991: American Record Surpassed

In 1991, Jenner's American record from 1976 was surpassed by Dan O'Brien.

1994: Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame and Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame

In 1994, Jenner was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame.

1996: Bruce Jenner's World Class Decathlon Video Game

In 1996, Jenner appeared in the video game Bruce Jenner's World Class Decathlon.

2007: Keeping Up with the Kardashians Debut

In 2007, Jenner began appearing on the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians alongside Kris Jenner and their children.

2010: San Jose Sports Hall of Fame

In 2010, Jenner was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame.

April 2015: Public Coming Out

In April 2015, Jenner publicly came out as a trans woman.

June 2015: Name Change

In June 2015, William Bruce Jenner was known as Bruce until this time,.

2015: General Mills's Response

In 2015, after Jenner came out as a trans woman, General Mills initially stated that "Bruce Jenner continues to be a respected member of Team Wheaties," later clarifying it to "Bruce Jenner has been a respected member of Team Wheaties, and Caitlyn Jenner will continue to be."

2016: I Am Cait

From 2015 to 2016, Jenner starred in the reality television series I Am Cait, which focused on her gender transition.

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2018: World and American Ranking

As of 2018, Jenner was ranked twenty-sixth on the world all-time list and ninth on the American all-time list for decathlon.

2021: California Gubernatorial Recall Election

In 2021, Jenner ran in the California gubernatorial recall election as a member of the Republican Party, finishing 13th with one percent of the vote. Also in 2021, Jenner was hired by Fox News as an on-air contributor.