Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kris, Kendall, Kylie and … Caitlyn?

Yes, the world-famous Kardashian family has added a new woman to the family, but not via pregnancy or adoption.

Bruce Jenner, a former Olympic gold-medalist, reality television star and patriarch of the Kardashian clan, has now become the matriarch. A name change came along with the gender change.

Bruce’s journey has been controversial and very public, highlighted by a highly-publicized divorce from Kris Jenner, a car accident that killed a woman, a few fallouts with his daughters (most notably Kim) and plenty of tabloid pictures that fueled rumors that his intentions were to become a woman.

Rumors and doubts have been laid to rest as Bruce is set to be on the cover of Vanity Fair in July. The cover has leaked online, showing Bruce with long, styled hair, breast implants and shaved legs, wearing a white corset. The photo is captioned “Call Me Caitlyn,” and the magazine will feature the first in-depth interview with Caitlyn Jenner.

Caitlyn posted on Facebook, “Everybody has challenges in dealing with life. I’m so happy after such a long struggle and finally living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. It feels so good. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.”

Jenner has been criticized and praised throughout the process of this transition, with many cheering him on as he sought to become a woman. Now, Caitlyn is set to be the most famous transgendered person on earth, which will no doubt bring even more criticism and praise.

Every person has an opinion of the LGBT community, and Bruce’s journey to become a woman will bring questions regarding them to the forefront. I would like to look at this situation from a more commercial standpoint, however.

The Kardashian family is everywhere. Kris has a talk show, Kim married Kanye and is pregnant with a second child, and Kendall and Kylie, the youngest daughters, are social media giants, who may even outshine their older sisters, one day.

“Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” the family’s reality show, was hugely popular since its inception in 2007. Now Caitlyn’s cover photo is set to “break the internet,” much like Kim’s infamous Paper magazine cover, in which she flaunted her bare behind.

Every aspect of this family is public, and every public thing they do makes them exorbitant amounts of money.

They are often criticized as being famous for no reason, and this is true to an extent. However, they used this sudden fame to build clothing lines and TV shows, raking in money as they went along.

The Kardashians, a family whose only real legitimate claim to fame was Bruce’s Olympic decathlon gold medal in 1976, are the first family of America. They are at the forefront of today’s controversial and most-talked about topics, everything from feminism to baby names, from chemical trails to Versace dresses. Now, with Caitlyn’s transition, they are at the forefront of the LGBT community. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen.

Being the literal poster-girl of the LGBT community may bring some substance to Caitlyn’s family, as they are typically viewed as shallow and downright ignorant at times. However, there is money to be made off of Bruce’s transition, as an eight-part documentary is set to premiere on E! in July.

The family has no shame in showing every detail of their lives, resulting in mega-stardom and riches. Where there is money to be made, an ambassador from the Kardashian family will most likely be there.

The irony of Caitlyn Jenner gracing the cover of a magazine, Vanity Fair, is not lost on me. The whole Kardashian family is a sort of vanity fair in itself. 

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