“If you want to call me names, make jokes, doubt my intentions, go ahead – because the reality is, I can take it. But for the thousands of kids out there coming to terms with being true to who they are – they shouldn’t have to take it.”
One of the hottest news stories to emerge in 2015 has been Bruce Jenner’s transition to become Caitlyn Jenner. This is the same year that the Supreme Court decided to legalize gay marriage across the United States. You could say both of these have been high profile “wins” for the LGBT community. And while some may say that the story of Caitlyn Jenner shouldn’t have received the attention that it has been getting, it’s still important on a more profound level. It has sparked the conversation.
As you may have heard, Caitlyn Jenner was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs last week and the quote above was taken from her acceptance speech. And that’s the thing. Winning this award has less to do with Caitlyn Jenner herself and more to do with the societal shift that needs to happen. There is still an incredible stigma associated with gender identity and gender equality, among countless other issues, and we need to break down these barriers to be more accepting of one another in a very human way.
As adults, some of us learn to develop thicker skin about these sorts of things and we learn to be more accepting of who we truly are. Perhaps it is a shame that Bruce couldn’t emerge as Caitlyn for all of these years. Even so, the challenge is even greater among the tweens and teens who are already struggling to fit in with their peer group. Adolescence and puberty are hard enough for kids who fall into more traditional categories. The experience is even harder for kids who are “coming to terms with being true to who they are.”
Say what you will about the Kardashians. We all have our gripes about what constitutes popular entertainment these days. However, as you may have observed these last several months, one thing that you can say about the Kardashians is that they (appear to) really value the importance of family. Even as the “new” Caityln Jenner struggled with issues of identity and endured this tough transition process, her family stuck by her side.
And that’s what family is all about.
You hit it out of the park! Great post.