Bruce Jenner
Bruce Jenner talked about his transition in the special two-part "Keeping Up With The Kardashians: About Bruce." Reuters/Steve Marcus

Reality TV star and former athlete Bruce Jenner confessed to his stepdaughter Kim Kardashian that cutting his hair and criticism about his ponytail have always been the toughest and most emotional parts of his gender identity struggle. This was documented in Part 1 of the E! special "Keeping Up With the Kardashians: About Bruce," which aired Sunday.

Bruce's long hair and ponytail are reportedly more than just fashion and style choices. He sees them as very symbolic representations of his gender identity. During his interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, where he told the world that he identifies as a woman, Bruce took off his ponytail and let his long hair hang loose around his shoulders before declaring: “For all intents and purposes, I am a woman.”

In the special two-part documentary “Keeping Up With the Kardashians: About Bruce,” Bruce tells Kim just how important his ponytail is to him and how emotional he gets when he is criticized for it. As the two of them prepare to look through his closet full of female clothes, Kim asks about the difference in how he feels now that he’s let the secret out.

Bruce again symbolically takes out his ponytail and tells Kim that now he no longer needs to keep his hair tied back. He tells her that having to cut his hair over the years is the hardest part of his gender identity struggle. He says that being forced to have short hair because he is a guy has been a very difficult thing to deal with. Society dictates that he should have short hair because he is a guy and this is something that he feels is now behind him.

Bruce also admits to Kim that he has had wigs and has worn them in the past. Bruce talks about the pressure to cut his hair short and declares: “Does it look better on Bruce? Yes, but it doesn't look better on my soul.”

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