*Since the ESPYs last Wednesday and the decision to give Caitlyn Jenner a courage award I’ve contributed to three conversations centered around her worthiness for the award.
And all of the conversations were happening because some people cannot accept that there can be more than one thing in a category. For instance a banana and a lemon can both be considered fruits. European explorers very familiar with lemons could have been surprised when they first encountered bananas. But after a bit of examination and reflection it would have been easy to conclude that “yup, these yellow things with the thick skin, they’re fruits.”
Applying the same logic to Caitlyn Jenner I don’t understand how people are still unable to call her courageous. Many conversations regarding transgender people revolve around hostility because of the perception that transgendered people are trying to trick the general public. That hostility leads to threats of violence. I responded to one person I knew after he used the term “debauchery”. This is the general tone of the American public when speaking about transgender. So I refuse to believe that it is easier to live as a transgendered person rather than assuming an identity based on the gender one was born with. In short – because the country in general seems to be hostile to transgendered people, of course it takes courage to expose oneself as part of that group.
I acknowledge that Jenner’s coming out is a lot easier than for your average Joe who is not an ex-Olympic winner and former reality television star with millions (I assume) in the bank. So yes ESPN could have chosen to give the award to the young lady who fought cancer to play college basketball before succumbing to the disease; yes ESPN could have given the award to the army veteran and multiple amputee who has become a crossfit athlete. Both of those choices would be valid and one might argue better. Fine, just don’t tell me that it isn’t also courageous to put yourself on the firing line. And yes Caitlyn Jenner has put herself on the firing line as evidenced by the reaction to the award.
Apparently she was supposed to go away and hide after deciding to live as a woman; only that’s not how civil rights and civil liberties are supposed to work in this country.
ESPN did the thing that would get them the most ratings. Not commendable, just understandable. But the backlash against Jenner has, mostly, not been about ESPN’s grab for ratings. It’s been about whether she is courageous.
100 years ago when women were agitating for the right to vote many people resisted because they didn’t understand. American society had always operated without women voting. 50 years ago when African-Americans were agitating for civil rights many people resisted because they didn’t understand. American society had always operated with African-Americans not being valued.
I get it. I don’t understand the mindset or motivations of a transgendered person. But I don’t need to understand those things to recognize their courage.
Trevor Brookins is a free lance writer in Rockland County, New York. He is currently working on a book about American culture during the Cold War. His writing has appeared in The Journal News. You can reach him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @historictrev.
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