Caitlyn Jenner on Tuesday filed a petition to legally change her name and registered gender.
The Olympic gold medalist who publicly debuted as transgender little more than two months ago filed for the changes at the Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse in Santa Monica. The petition typically takes about eight months to a year to process given the backlog.
As part of the paperwork, Jenner can ask the court to order a new birth certificate be issued reflecting the changes — a move that requires a declaration from a physician.
Jenner, whose reality show I Am Cait just concluded its first season on E!, posted a message on her website for those wondering about her next move:
"Many of you have written and asked what’s next for me. I’m going to take breather for a minute.I want to continue to grow as a person. In so many ways I feel like I’m a teenage girl discovering herself!
I’m still trying to figure out what it means to be a woman and I will continue that process. Because you know what? It’s a lot of fun!"
Jenner — who made her big debut on the cover of Vanity Fair in June — pledged during her appearance at ESPN’s annual ESPY Awards a month later to use her fame to advocate for greater acceptance of trans people.
Meanwhile, Jenner could be charged with vehicular manslaughter for her role in a deadly Feb. 7 crash in Malibu. The crash occurred on Pacific Coast Highway when a Toyota Prius stopped or slowed and was rear-ended by a Lexus. Jenner’s Cadillac Escalade then hit the back of the Lexus, killing the driver, 69-year-old Kim Howe.