Caitlyn Jenner – heroine or opportunist? Love them or hate them, the Kardashians are everywhere. The notoriously media-hungry family is known for sharing anything and everything about their lives. As Bruce Jenner, he was known as the quirky father being constantly henpecked by Kris. As Caitlyn Jenner, she is inspiring us all. Here are three reasons why.
Shining the Spotlight
Caitlyn Jenner lives in a world most of us will never know, where the paparazzi follows every move and the reporters clamor for the inside scoop. Consequently, in coming out, she’s shining a radiant spotlight on a community of people who are often overlooked, and bringing awareness to critical human rights issues. She could have chosen to continue living as Bruce, but she’s using her platform to speak up for transgender people everywhere.
Demonstrating Authenticity
Bruce Jenner, an Olympic athlete and father to several beautiful children. A man with wealth most of us couldn’t imagine. And yet, he knew he could never be happy denying his true self. One look at Caitlyn’s photographs and you can see a radiance – a sense of peace – that Bruce never possessed. She is living proof that money and status are meaningless but as tools. It was only by embracing her authentic self that she was able to find genuine happiness.
Giving Hope to Struggling Teens
During her acceptance speech for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, Caitlyn lent her voice to LGBT teens everywhere. She begged the world to celebrate true diversity and accept people as they are. She acknowledged that while she is now finally strong enough to handle the haters, she knows that there are frightened young kids who aren’t. Suicide is a very real risk in LGBT youth and Caitlyn reminded us that every life matters.
We say cheers to Caitlyn and can only hope she continues to use her privileged status to champion strides toward transgender acceptance and inclusion.
