“…If you wanna make jokes, go ahead, I can take it. But for the kids out there coming to terms with being true to who they are, they shouldn’t have to take it.” – Caitlyn Jenner
The world of sports, professional or otherwise, can be among the most LGBT-phobic of them all.
Mine and Kendall's little tears of joy lol. I love my dad.
— Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) July 16, 2015
I understand people have opinions and beliefs but what Caitlyn Jenner did takes courage and heart…kudos #ESPYS
— Ryan Verdugo (@teachmetodugi11) July 16, 2015
Just caught @Caitlyn_Jenner's speech at the #ESPYS. So deeply moved. I feel like an historic moment happened for my community tonight. Thanx
— Laverne Cox (@Lavernecox) July 16, 2015
“But I have never felt more pressure than I have ever felt in my life … then over the last couple of months … picking out this outfit,” Jenner said at the beginning of her speech.
What the hell am I going to wear?
http://t.co/HoXNQasAXM
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 2, 2015
She did well … very well. And she had help. As reported by US Magazine, Caitlyn hired “celeb stylist extraordinaire” Jen Rade whose clients include Angelina Jolie and Pink. The style verdict is in: Vogue has pronounced the choice of her Atelier Versace gown a triumph …
No question about it, Caitlyn Jenner stole the show at the #ESPYS: http://t.co/4FQP4m1Cgh
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) July 16, 2015
There are always a few haters such as NBC Sports’ Bob Costas…
Bob Costas says Caitlyn Jenner getting Arthur Ashe Award is a "crass exploitation play"
http://t.co/kEi8V8pQym pic.twitter.com/2hTpYCaUPE
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) June 11, 2015
Costas told Liberty First News, “I wish Caitlyn all the happiness in the world and all the peace of mind in the world. However, it strikes me that awarding the Arthur Ashe award to Caitlyn Jenner is just a crass exploitation play. It’s a tabloid play.” The NY Post shared that many others felt the award should have gone to Lauren Hill, the 19-year-old Mount St. Joseph basketball player lost her fight against cancer on April 10.
Similarly, director Peter Berg posted his dissatisfaction with the choice.
Yesterday morning, however, Radar Online deepens the controversy with the headline “Demanding Diva!” According to article, Caitlyn’s agents went to ESPN with the idea that she should receive the Arthur Ashe Award saying, “It was a brilliant move because the executives at ESPN loved the idea.” The article alleges the Jenner camp was ready to pull her highly touted interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC (which like ESPN, is owned by Disney) if she did not receive the award, stating, “It was ironed out, and ABC owns one of the biggest stories of the year.”
In the morning light, however, one thing is clear, once she took to the stage, it was a trans-formative night in many far reaching and powerful ways. Even Siri says so too.
Previously: Nick Capra on Gay Models Who Do Scenes With Trans Models: ‘I Did It… and It Was Fucking Hot.’
Anything that comes out of the Kardashians is for the sake of pushing the 15 minutes of fame into their obnoxious amplification of publicity stunts. Seriously, go away. This comes out about as lame as those that discovered Jesus.
So great it voiced its opinion so what? Others do that as well and get crucified. This isn’t brave, it’s just pointing out the obvious. It should have gotten the captain obvious award or the “Gee, we haven’t heard that a million times, award”. Further being transgender is different from being Lesbian, Gay and/or Bisexual as it’s a choice, the other three aren’t. It’s not an opinion whether or not you have a penis or a vagina.
Love you Caitlyn!!!
So basically Radar confirmed what we already knew: The award was a business deal. And isn’t that basically the exploitation Bob Costas was referring to? Hater or messenger?
Jenner is not a role-model and is NOT a gender-nonconformist. Rupaul is a non-conformist. Ellen Degeneres is a non-conformist. Saying that you are “the wrong gender” because you are a male with a penchant for stereotypically feminine things, is, in fact, the most extreme form of gender-conformism. When you attach stereotypes to a specific sex, you are abdicating to society’s gender expectations. If Jenner had stood there in that dress and long hair, and still referred to themselves as a man, THAT would have been awesome, badass and brave. That would have been showing gender stereotypes the middle finger. What this person promotes is not different at all from what Christian right-wingers tell gay kids at “conversion camps”: that if you’re a boy, there are certain interests you should and should NOT have. Conversion therapy and transgenderism both attempt the same thing: CONFORMITY, getting people to be “normal”, because obviously, if you like wearing dresses and make-up, you HAVE to be a woman. Conversion therapy tries to change the inside of gay kids while maintaining their body intact, transgenderism does the converse thing, it tries to change their outside, both physical and social, to “align” it with their interests. They are two sides of the same homophobic coin, except Transgendersim, with its mutilation and hormonal therapy, is by far the more dangerous of the two.
Trans people need role models. Trans people also need better role models than this. Because not every trans person is Nelson Mandela. Hell, I’m still not convinced Caitlyn Jenner isn’t entirely the world’s most drastic publicity stunt.
I think this is huge for transgendered people. Her speech was wonderful. But I wish she would correct or apologize for Bruce Jenner’s anti-gay rants from years ago…..Bruce was against marriage equality, etc. I hope those words are taken back someday.
Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner was/is a Republican!
I know that. That is not the point. Her speech was about acceptance. My point was I hope she retracts earlier statements made over the past decade. It helps to say…..I was wrong. I changed and so can you.
Actually, far from retracting those views, I’m pretty sure Caitlyn has reaffirmed them. Seeking “acceptance” for trans people is good, but “acceptance” only goes so far for most of them. Caitlyn does not favor anti-discrimination laws that protect trans people, and really sees no reason for the government to do anything to help/protect LGBT people. Easy to have that position when you have millions of dollars to spend on yourself.
But the the wealthy Republican, who worried about which 5,000 dress to wear didn’t say what needed to be said. Full stop!