Having the Courage to Pay Forward?

Yesterday here in Cyrsti's Condo, we wrote about the relative "plethora" of transgender related programming Wednesday night but still forgot to mention Caitlin Jenner's acceptance of an ESPY. What is an "ESPY" you might ask? It's the annual Emmy's style award show directed at the sporting world by the sports programming giant ESPN. Both Pat and Connie asked me (sort of) why I didn't mention Caitlin. First some background: Of course not all the world was pleased with Jenner receiving the award for courage. Even I had my doubts as I witnessed the up close and personal struggle with a terminal brain tumor waged around Christmas last year by a local Cincinnati woman's basketball player. (Lauren Hill-now deceased)

Jenner (left)-Lauren Hill (right)

From Time Magazine:

"In the midst of the outcry, though, Jenner stood strong — a resolve she carried to the stage on Wednesday night. She used the speech as a rallying cry for the fair treatment of transgender youth.

“If you want to call me names, make jokes, doubt my intentions, go ahead, because the reality is I can take it,” she said. “But for the thousands of kids out there coming to terms with the truth of who they are, they shouldn’t have to take it.”

“For the people out there wondering what this is all about — whether it’s about courage or controversy or publicity — it’s about what happens from here,” she continued. “It’s not about just one person… it’s not just about me, it’s about all of us, accepting one another. We’re all different. That’s not a bad thing. That’s a good thing."

Yes, my most jaded self came to appreciate when Caitlin Jenner did have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the most important segment of the transgender community (youth) she did.