Is she or isn't she?

I don't get it. While I'm delighted that transgender individuals now have their right to be legally recognized, I don't see where that applies to Bruce Jenner. Obviously the media have embraced him with wild enthusiasm. To them he is now Caitlyn, a cover girl extraordinaire. They politely refer to Caitlyn as she, show her the greatest of deference, and I'm sure a virtual reality show will follow. But in his interview with Diane Sawyer, Bruce said the surgery was down the road and all reports suggest that no gender assignment surgery has been performed. Therefore if he is still a male gender-wise, why is the media bending over backward to recognize him as a woman? It seems to me that he is still a cross dresser who has had a few cosmetic procedures. What am I missing? What is Bruce missing? I am still somewhat skeptical about Bruce/Caitlyn's motives. His interviews in $100 thousand earrings and designer gowns seem a little superficial to me and being endorsed by the Kardashian harem is no endorsement at all. On the other hand if I am totally ignorant about what constitutes being transgender, and if all it requires is the belief of the individual and has nothing to do with sexual assignment, then I apologize to Caitlyn.