As he starts the next phase of his life as "for all intents and purposes ... a woman," E! is dedicating a two-episode Keeping Up With The Kardashians special to Bruce Jenner — specifically, to when Jenner told the Kardashian side of his family about his journey. Airing May 17 and May 18, Keeping Up With The Kardashians: About Bruce will feature Kris, Khloé, Kim, Kourtney, Kylie, Kendall, and Scott Disick, and will show the moment Bruce sat them down to tell them about his struggle with gender identity. Now, E! has released two sneak peeks of the Bruce Jenner special to give us a glimpse of what's to come, and thankfully, it looks like the show will handle Jenner's journey with the respect it deserves.
It's likely to be an emotional couple of episodes. But, the important thing is that the clips hint at how the show will handle Jenner's conversation with his family, and it looks like he's going to get the respectful treatment he deserves. ABC's 20/20 interview did an excellent job both explaining to the viewers what it means to be transgender, and also giving Jenner the space to talk about what it means for him as an individual.
Of course, reality TV is very different than a Diane Sawyer interview, and I did fear that it would rely on the spectacle rather than treat Jenner respectfully. Fortunately, though, it seems KUWTK is going about things the right way. As of now, it looks like the show is going to focus less on the "why" and more on supporting and loving Jenner.
Another sneak peek shows Kim Kardashian and Jenner talking about his painted toes. During his 20/20 interview, Jenner said that Kim has been one of his biggest sources of support throughout his journey, so it was sweet to see her in action. She complimented his (excellent) nail polish work that he did himself, and then the two joked around about how he is so good at makeup that he could do hers.
I'm glad to see that the show is going to show both the emotional moments, but also the funny moments within the family. While this is a serious subject, Jenner has always been a happy-go-lucky member of the family, so it feels right to show him kidding around with one of his daughters. It's nice to see that, so far, the show is planning on treating the subject with respect and honesty, without delving into theatrics or unnecessary drama. Of course, we'll have to see if that continues throughout the two episodes — but, based on these clips, I think the show is going to be a celebration of Bruce's role in the family, and that's exactly the kind of support he deserves.
Editor’s Note: Per Jenner’s stated preference, Bustle will continue referring to Jenner using he/his pronouns for the time being. We will follow his lead and make any changes to this policy as needed in the future.
