Dana Rose Falcone of Us Weekly reported Wednesday a source confirmed the former track and field superstar will appear on the cover wearing "nothing but an American flag and her Olympic medal." It's the first time she'll pose with the medal since completing her gender transition in 2015.
The source told Us that Jenner, who's called the medal her "most prized possession," is happy about the opportunity: "She's excited about that."
Jenner set a new world record with 8,618 points in the decathlon during the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. It's a feat that traditionally comes with the label of being the world's best all-around athlete.
The 66-year-old New York native made the transition to become an openly transgender woman last year, a decision originally announced last April. She was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 ESPYs and asked for a greater level of acceptance for transgender individuals, per ESPN.com.
"Trans people deserve something vital; they deserve your respect," Jenner said. "From that respect comes a more compassionate community."
ABC News provided more of her acceptance speech below:
Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated noted Jenner's selection for the award didn't come without criticism, however. Bob Costas of NBC Sports called the choice "a crass exploitation play, a tabloid play" on the Dan Patrick Show before wishing her "all the happiness and peace of mind in the world."
SI's reported decision to feature Jenner on the cover with nothing but a flag and her medal is probably going to generate similar backlash. But clearly, she's decided that isn't going to prevent her from continuing to use her influence to promote the rights of transgender people.
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