Caitlyn Jenner’s son Brandon explains why her transition put a heartbreaking strain on their relationship
Caitlyn Jenner with her son Brandon (Earl Gibson III/Getty)
The son of trans star Caitlyn Jenner has said he wishes she had transitioned sooner and said her inner turmoil put a huge strain on their relationship.
Writing for The Guardian, Brandon Jenner said he had a challenging relationship with Caitlyn because of her inability to open up with him.
In the article, Brandon said Caitlyn avoided answering the question “how are you doing?” for 65-years of her life.
“Because of that, she didn’t ask it often, either,” Brandon wrote.
Caitlyn Jenner avoided opening up as it would have ‘laid bare too many struggles’, according to her son.
The trans star’s son said he understands that she avoided answering the question as it would have “laid bare too many struggles”, but said it made their relationship “challenging”.
“People connect with each other through vulnerability, and you can only get someone to open up to you if you are willing to be vulnerable yourself.
I wish my dad had been able to transition sooner, not only because I think she would have been happier, but because I think we could have built a stronger relationship earlier.
“Because she was shielding something so important from herself, dad remained distant for much of my life,” Brandon wrote.
He said his parents’ relationship collapsed when he was just four-years-old because Caitlyn had decided she wanted to transition. She subsequently went on to have a number of surgeries that “only made sense much later”.
However, Brandon said Caitlyn later changed her mind, deciding that it was not the right time to transition, and had her surgeries reversed.
Brandon always felt that Caitlyn had her ‘guard up’ until she came out as trans in 2015.
Due to a strained relationship between his parents, Brandon only saw Caitlyn around half a dozen times between the ages of eight and 25. The pair struck up a relationship again when Brandon was in his 20s.
However, he always felt that Caitlyn had her “guard up”. He was relieved when she finally came out as trans.
“As soon as dad said it herself, I was so happy for her,” Brandon wrote.
“As her son, I wish my dad had been able to transition sooner, not only because I think she would have been happier, but because I think we could have built a stronger relationship earlier.
“Now, I’m making up for lost time. I speak to my dad almost every day, and every time, she asks me, ‘How are you doing?'” he wrote.
