What is all the fuss about Caitlyn Jenner (or Bruce if you just can’t come to grips with calling him Caitlyn)? I have been following his story, along with millions of others as his transformation has evolved. At first, I thought it was just the paparazzi creating a story where one didn’t exist, but then when he had the Adam’s apple surgery, I began to think the story had legs (because no one would do that on a whim). So what?
I have seen postings on the story in all kinds of media outlets, Twitter, Facebook, newspapers, TV, etc. I see and hear the comments and am flabbergasted at the vicious, hateful, judgmental posts from complete strangers that know nothing about Bruce/Caitlyn. Honestly, I am shocked.
Who cares? Why are so many people worrying about something that has absolutely no effect on their lives? Every day, all across this beautiful planet, in cities, towns, villages etc., people are making decisions that are vastly dissimilar from ones I would make for myself, and I am just fine with that. As long as these decisions don’t result in harm to me, or anyone else, I say go for it. I will still sleep soundly at night and live my life just fine.
How is this decision any different from any other personal decision a person makes about being true to themselves? Body piercings, tattoos, clothing, hair color, fashion, makeup, all are ways to differentiate ourselves and I am OK with it all. Personally, I would never get a tattoo because it is so permanent, but I don’t hate it on others (well, some I do). I am occasionally shocked with some tattoos and how much of the body they cover, but it isn’t my body and I didn’t have to endure the pain so why should I care? The same is true of multiple body piercings, not my bag and I can’t figure out why people would want them, but hey, as long as you keep sharp objects away from me, we are cool. But I digress…..
I have read some people call him/her a “sin against nature,” and also a comment that, “God doesn’t make a mistake.” My first reaction was to laugh, and I did when I read it. My mirth didn’t last long because almost immediately, I was angry.
With regards to the “sin against nature,” how dare anyone accuse another of sinning when the action caused no harm? Sinning is kind of a personal thing people, because it involves a great deal of religious connotations many people do not subscribe to. As far as using Bible passages as proof, forget about it - I don’t use the Bible to set my moral compass. Some people do and good for them, I mean it, good for them. The operative words being “good for them,” as in, not for me. Faith is a wonderful thing, but let each person practice what he or she believes and not project his or her faith onto someone else.
As far as “God never makes a mistake,” all I can say is what do you say about babies born with cancer? Or children born with congenital defects that are so severe they do not get to see a birthday? I’m not calling these mistakes, but rather, I don’t blame God for everything that I see as hurtful, wrong or different from my way of thinking. I hardly think of a person who cannot identify with the sex they are born with as a mistake. Because someone identifies with another sexual identity or orientation is not a mistake, just a fact of life. If it is or isn’t a choice, so what? If that is what a person needs to be to feel whole, then so be it, why on earth would I care?
Before I wrote this, I Googled “transgender suicides,” (because, let’s face it, Google has become our “go to” source for anything we want to know, or to prove. I think my daughter has it speed dialed into her phone, she uses so often to prove me wrong…..). I wanted to see the statistics on transgender suicides because I watched the Diane Sawyer interview with Bruce, and he spoke of the pain so many transgenders endure.
The statistics are staggering. From just the sources I read, about 40- 50 percent of all transgenders have attempted suicide at some point. I’m not going to document my sources, look it up yourselves, it is a sobering statistic. Even if the number is inflated, it is still jaw dropping, to me. I suspect that there are others who aren’t bothered by transgender suicide attempts, but I am. All suicides bother me and for reasons I think which are obvious to any human with compassion.
Why would anyone ever choose this type of lifestyle change, endure the hatred and judgments of strangers, unless living in a body with a sex you don’t identify with is a living hell? And what about those that just like to crossdress, you know, as a choice? So what, I have absolutely no clue why anyone cares what someone else does. Why is it that women can dress as men, act like men and it is cool, edgy, acceptable - we shrug our collective shoulders and carry on. So if a man wants to dress and act as a woman we quote the Bible, judge, froth at the mouth (figuratively speaking, of course) and basically act as if society will unravel right before our very eyes.
I have read comments about Caitlyn Jenner that suggest that transgenders are mentally ill. Really? So doing something that makes you feel whole, happier, and able to live life feeling healthy is a mental illness? I disagree. Caitlynn sounds a lot healthier and happier now than she did as Bruce. The gold medals didn’t do it for her, being the top athlete in the world didn’t do it, the fame didn’t do it, and being on a trendy TV show didn’t do it. Sounds like living all of this felt like a lie and was hell for him living that life. Coming out as a woman, living a life she always identified with, did it, (or is doing it, I guess). If she is happier now, then everyone can relax and move along.
So what?
