This is a guest post by TallahasseeScene’s Tiffany Battle.
Please note that I will be referring to Bruce Jenner using female pronouns throughout this article in an effort to respect her gender identity.
Our parents’ generation may recognize her for her gold medal victory in the 1976 Olympics, and our generation knows her as the spunky and loving dad on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”
On ABC’s most recent edition of “20/20,” which aired Friday, Diane Sawyer sat down with Bruce Jenner for a much-anticipated interview.
Via: Barely Adventist
In the interview, Jenner came out as transgender in a very real and personal way.
“For all intents and purposes,” she said, “I am a woman.”
For many, this is a hard concept to grasp. Jenner is now 65 years old and some cannot fathom how a person can live the majority of their life hiding who they truly are.
And one question many have is, “Why now?”
Jenner answered this question by simply stating that she “just can’t hold the curtains any longer.” She said, “I’m saying goodbye to peoples’ perception of me and who I am. I’m not saying goodbye to me because this has always been me.”
Sawyer explained to Jenner that many are skeptical and believe that her coming out is just a publicity stunt for KUWTK. Jenner scoffed in disbelief, explaining that she has dealt with her gender identity for her entire life and would never fake transitioning for the sake of a TV show.
Thankfully, Jenner’s children and family have all expressed love and support about their her transition. Brandon Jenner, Bruce’s eldest son, was a part of the interview, saying, “I feel like I’m getting an upgraded version of my dad.”
Kris Jenner, who was married to Jenner for 25 years, sent out a tweet showing her love and support for her coming out.
Via: Twitter
Jenner also revealed that her stepdaughter, Kim Kardashian, actually walked in on her while she was wearing a dress. However, they did not speak of the instance until recently when Jenner officially made the choice to transition.
“Kimberly has by far been the most accepting and the easiest to talk to about it,” she said.
Jenner also mentioned that while her children have handled her transition well, they have been mostly scared for her.
“They don’t want anyone to hurt Dad,” she said.
Jenner’s mother, Esther Jenner, was also shown on video during the interview. She spoke to Jenner directly saying, “I was very proud of you when you stood on that podium in Montreal. I never thought I could be more proud of you, but I’m learning I can be.”
Jenner currently practices Christianity and discussed with Sawyer her past worries over what God thought about her. But she claimed that she had had a revelation at one point.
“Maybe God put me on Earth to deal with this issue.”
Not surprisingly, the interview broke records on Twitter with a reported 972,000 tweets having been sent out about the “20/20″ special. Seeing as one of the worst problems that most transgender people face is believing that they are alone, this interview served as inspiration and hope for those who are currently feeling isolated, confused or as if they’re at their breaking point.
Unfortunately, however, these sentiments were not shared by everyone who happened to catch the interview late that night.
Too many people who have yet accept transgender people for who they are mocked, scorned and ridiculed Jenner, behaviors that are all too common for transgender people. This type of ignorance and hate continues to contribute to the devastating rise in transgender suicide rates that are occurring all over the world.
According to a national report on transgender discrimination, 41 percent of transgender adults have attempted suicide during their lifetime. Even Jenner herself confessed that there were moments when she contemplated ending her life.
Via: The Guardian
Living a life inside the wrong body is already a battle within itself, and when you add in the kind of animosity and contempt that some individuals feel they must hold for anyone who is slightly different from them, the ending result will never be pretty.
Transgender people deserve nothing less than open-mindedness, true support and honest love from those around them as well as from their society in general. While watching this interview between Jenner and Sawyer, all I could think about was how I hoped that eyes were being opened and minds were being enlightened as this woman bravely declared to the world that she is who she is.
Jenner closed the interview by saying, “When you think of me, please be open-minded. I’m not this bad person. I’m just doing what I have to do.”
I encourage you to research about transgender lives and to learn how to support the trans community. Through the unity of just a few open-minded and educated individuals, I believe that we can all eventually help make this world a much more secure and safe place for everyone to live in.
The change begins with you. So choose be a part of a better world.
Featured photo courtesy of: Love B. Scott
