The entire country is talking about Bruce Jenner’s transformation into a woman, now known as Caitlyn Jenner. I recently visited my grandma, age 84, at her farmhouse in a small town in southern Wisconsin, and she even brought it up! Just to clarify, my grandparents do not own a computer, a smart phone, or satellite TV, yet somehow Caitlyn Jenner still made her way out there. The question of the matter is why. Why is Caitlyn Jenner so important? Is she so brave that she deserves the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, or is she just a media-created hero?
This award is generally sports-oriented and is commonly given to an individual whose actions have changed and bettered the world of sports. Winning this award takes bravery, sacrifice and humility. Does Caitlyn Jenner exemplify those things?
Similar to many gay men and women, Caitlyn claimed to have known something was different since her youth. I use this comparison because there are so many people out there who have had to muster up the courage to come out and tell the world how they really feel. Not just Caitlyn Jenner, but the countless transgender and gay individuals alike. The media makes Caitlyn out to be this brave, special, and courageous person. But what makes her so special? Is what she did more courageous than the millions of other people struggling with gender identity? Being famous doesn't make her more courageous, it just means it will make more waves in the media when she's given an award for it. There are many transgender and gay individuals who've demonstrated courage but the media did not blow up with reports and pictures of them. They remained humble, which is the sign of true courage.
Laverne Cox is most widely known for her role as Sophie in the Netflix series "Orange is the New Black." She is a black, transgender woman. Like Caitlyn, she remembers feeling different than her peers as a young boy. She was bullied for this, but she overcame these obstacles. She did not grow up with the celebrity status that Jenner has. But now look at her. She is a huge success and an inspiration to transgender and gay individuals. She showed the world what a little bravery and hard work will do.
Michael Sam was the first gay football player drafted into the NFL. He risked his entire career by coming out. When he was drafted, he broke through a barrier that would change sports forever. The NFL accepted a gay man to play for one of their teams. From that moment forward, being gay won't mean that you can't play professional football. Sam's bravery changed the lives of many current football players and players to come.
If you ask me, I think these two (among others) are more deserving of an award than Jenner. But unfortunately, I don't pick the recipient.
