Bruce Jenner has made plenty of magazine covers in his life, but he's never had his face superimposed on a woman's body — until now.
In Touch magazine posted the cover for its latest issue to Facebook on Wednesday featuring the Olympian and stepfather of the Kardashian sisters as a woman. The headline "Bruce’s Story: My Life As A Woman" appears over the photo, and subheads promise readers "11 shocking photos inside."
The cover was almost immediately condemned, however, after
Buzzfeed reported that the publication had used photo editing tools to place Jenner's face on former "Dynasty" star Stephanie Beacham, as well as paint his face with digital ladies' makeup.
It has long been rumored by Hollywood gossip magazines and blogs that Jenner is secretly transitioning to become a woman, however he has denied such assertions publicly. Nonetheless, he is regularly the subject of innuendo and stalking by the paparazzi, who are on a constant lookout for evidence.
Kris Jenner, Bruce's ex-wife, was among the first to criticize In Touch for the cover,
telling TMZ, "It's just mean to do whether or not it's true."
The Daily Beast went a step further, calling the cover "transphobic" and dangerous.
"If Jenner is transgender, he should be allowed to come out on his own timetable. Given the fact that he’s a regular presence on 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians,' we’re in no danger of missing it, if it ever happens. Outing transgender people before they’re ready to come out can have deleterious consequences for their health, their careers, and their relationships — yes, even for celebrities," the publication wrote.