As 2015 begins to wind down, it would be impossible to look back at the previous year and not mention the important introduction of Caitlyn Jenner to the world.
Her very public transition grabbed headlines everywhere, was chronicled a terrific reality show, and inspired a nation to open its eyes to the ongoing struggles of the trans community. So it's no surprise that Glamour named Jenner a 2015 Woman of the Year — and deservedly so.
Jenner — alongside fellow recipients Reese Witherspoon, Cecile Richards, and the U.S. women's national soccer team — will be one of the female trailblazers honored at the 25th Women of the Year Awards, which will take place at New York City's Carnegie Hall on November 9.
In her recent interview with the magazine, Jenner opens up once again about her struggles with suicidal thoughts, particularly when the media was hounding her before her transition. (She spoke about it on her show, I Am Cait, and during her groundbreaking interview with Diane Sawyer earlier this year.)
A particular incident, which Jenner has mentioned before, happened when a photographer snapped her at a doctor's office, where she was having a procedure to reduce the size of her Adam's apple. It was a traumatic moment for Jenner, one which almost prompted her to take her own life. (According to a staggering statistic from GLAAD, "41% of [trans] respondents reported attempting suicide, compared to 1.6% of the general population.")
Jenner tells Glamour that the very evening of that incident, she was haunted by the thoughts of the gun she kept at home. She says that she told herself to "go in there, no more pain."
Thankfully, those dark thoughts didn't overtake her. As she says, "I thought, 'Okay, you transition, big deal! You are still alive. You have to make your life interesting.'" It's pretty safe to say that 2015 is just the beginning of Caitlyn Jenner's interesting — and inspiring — life.
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