Bruce “Caitlyn” Jenner has spoken, and I’m more confused now than ever before. And that’s saying something.
During ESPN’s 2015 ESPY Awards, Bruce Jenner received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. In an introductory speech, video tribute, and acceptance speech that spanned nearly 30 minutes of air-time, the story of “Caitlyn’s” transformation was told.
But it was told in an entirely different way than what I expected. It was depressing. Take Abby Wambach’s opening monologue. She began by sounding the call to rally around an issue “not enough of us stand up for.” Okay, here’s the part where she’s going to tell us to rally around the cause of general LGBT acceptance, right?
So, let's talk about a way we can make our country better. Let's talk about an issue that not enough of us stand up for. At some point in their lives, 20% of transgender people are homeless. They get bullied, assaulted and murdered at dramatically higher rates than the general public. And one recent study said that 41% of them attempt suicide at some point in their lives. Now though, there's a new story. The story of someone whose mission isn't to bring attention to herself, but the ones who truly need it.
So, 20% of transgenders will be homeless at some point in their life. And will be beat-up, bullied, and even murdered at a higher-rate? Moreover, 41% will attempt suicide? Wait a minute. I thought changing your sexuality was supposed to solve all your problems. Because now you have an opportunity to be who you really are, as opposed to living a lie. Instead, Wambach makes it sound like a death sentence.
Equally hilarious is Wambach’s line that Jenner’s “mission” is not to bring attention to himself. So, its pure coincidence that Jenner has received an ABC exclusive interview, the first ever ESPYs on ABC, and a courage award leading up to a promo for a reality show? I’m sure it is.
Also incredibly telling about Jenner is that, here’s a guy completely consumed by how he sees himself, who claims to have an understanding about how the world sees him but is in actuality completely clueless. This came through loud and clear during the video tribute when Jenner lamented his “destruction” at the hands of the media:
So, just after dawn on a Sunday morning in Jan of last year, Jenner went in for a procedure to reduce his Adam's apple. The last shred of what he kept private for so long was about to be consumed by the public.
“I go in there and, of course, when I leave the place, the Paparazzi see it. I knew, the media's going to, like, destroy me.”
Is he joking? He says this in a tribute video where he’s receiving an award from one of the largest media organizations in the world, on national television. He’s completely clueless. The media has been Jenner’s largest and loudest backer throughout this whole process, angrily denouncing anyone who criticizes him, as evidenced by the fact that not one single major national sports personality took Jenner to task in any meaningful way for his decision to “self-identify.”
Which is, of course, proof-positive as to why Jenner should never in a million years have received a courage award. Outside of Twitter, Jenner has never faced any meaningful criticism. At least any that wasn’t immediately and savagely denounced by the very same media that he thinks is out to "destroy" him.
Jenner went on to claim that despite how hard he trained, and how hard he had competed, that his “transition” had been harder on him than anything he could have ever imagined. Again, one wonders why that is, if this is all about you finally getting a chance to be the real you. But, I digress.
Because of that struggle, Jenner claimed that, “Trans people deserve something vital. They deserve your respect.” Interesting, that respect has now become a one-way street in our society where traditionalism must give “respect” but the people whom we must respect are never required to return the favor. No one “deserves” respect. True respect is earned. And Jenner, as one of the greatest athletes to ever walk the Earth, knows this better than most. Which only adds to the disingenuousness of him saying it.
If transgenders did hypothetically deserve respect, it would only be because all people deserve respect. Otherwise, that “respect” would only exist as a result of a tyranny of a minority that forces compliance to a lifestyle that is contrary to the human instinct and faith that most people believe in. And that is precisely what we have…
