Caitlyn Jenner, Reese Witherspoon named as Glamour's Women of the Year

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Olympian turned reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner continues to collect accolades following her gender transition, as she was named one of Glamour's Women of the Year, among others on the list of actresses, athletes, and other influential individuals, People reports.

The 66 year old is being honored for her advocacy work in raising awareness on suicide and bullying in the transgender community. Jenner told Glamour, "I started thinking, Maybe this is why God put me on earth. This issue has been swept under the rug for so long. I need to tell this story on the highest level you can possibly do it. Not just for me but for this entire community."

Jenner admitted that the reason why she helped create E!'s I am Cait is so that she could raise awareness and educate everyone about being transgender, including herself. The reality TV series received a fair following and earned a second season.

Jenner said, "I am just excited about the future for the first time in a long, long time. And that is a nice feeling to have. To be honest with you, if the worst thing in the world that happens to you is you are trans, you’ve got it made."

 ✨Glamour Women of the Year 2015: Caitlyn Jenner, The Transgender Champion✨ A year ago @CaitlynJenner did not have a name. The Olympic hero turned reality-star patriarch was still living a phantom existence, her changing appearance igniting a tabloid frenzy around the rumor she’d run from for most of her 66 years: that she was transgender. But after years of feeling she had to hide who she is at all costs, she is determined to be relentlessly open. And today, she’s finding new meaning in her life. She helped launch I Am Cait, the docuseries meant to educate the public and, crucially, herself; the show has featured advocates addressing important issues like suicide—a tragic 41 percent of trans or gender-nonconforming Americans have attempted to take their own life. #GlamourWOTY25 #EveryWomanCan (

Jenner is the second transgender woman to be included in the list, as New York Daily News reports that Orange is the New Black's Laverne Cox made the list of honorees in 2014. Glamour's Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive admitted that the publication received backlash after they announced that Jenner made the list.

"Adding a second transgender woman to a 397-winner list … is not, in our view, misogyny," Leive said in a statement. "It's a recognition that there are all types of women in this world, and plenty of glory to go around."

Among other honorees are Reese Witherspoon, who also graces the cover of Glamour's 25th Anniversary Issue featuring the Women of the Year. Mashable reports that the actress is being honored for her work and her production company, Pacific Standard, which produced film hits Wild and Gone Girl.

Glamour will also honor Misty Copeland, the first African-American principal for the American Ballet Theatre, fashion mogul Victoria Beckham, entrepreneur and Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards, the U.S. Women's soccer team and the "Peacemakers of Charleston", women from South Carolina church where a shooting took place earlier this year.

Glamour's 25th Anniversary Women of the Year Awards will be held on November 9 at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where comedian and actress Amy Schumer is set to open the ceremony, while Jennifer Hudson and Ellie Goulding are set to perform.