If you have seen any form of social media, or watched the ESPYs last Wednesday, you know that Caitlyn Jenner received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. If you know this, then you also know that this decision caused extreme controversy and uproar because many believe that she is undeserving of an award that recognizes courage.
I want to start this off with making sure we all know what the Arthur Ashe Courage Award stands for:
According to ESPN, the Arthur Ashe Courage Award is given to a someone who “reflects the spirit of Arthur Ashe, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril, and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost.” The award is also "inspired by the life that Ashe lived, using his fame and stature to advocate for human rights, although, at the time, those positions may have been unpopular and were often controversial.”
This is where my argument should end. If you know what the Arthur Ashe Courage Award stands for then you would understand that Caitlyn Jenner is a worthy recipient. But for those of you who still disagree, this is for you:
Courage is defined as the ability to have strength in the face of pain or grief. It is being able to mentally or morally withstand fear, danger, or difficulty. Courage cannot be calculated. It cannot be measured. And it definitely can and should not be judged from people on the outside. Like Caitlyn said in her speech, we need to become more accepting of one another. We need to learn as much as we can about other people in order to understand them better. No person is the same. We all fight different battles within ourselves that others cannot understand. Courage comes from the inside, not what others have to say on the outside.
Caitlyn Jenner is courageous in her own way because to her, the battle of accepting herself and her identity is the hardest she has dealt with. Unless you know every single emotion Caitlyn Jenner has felt her entire life and exactly how much strength it took for her to finally accept herself, then you have absolutely no right to put her down, to criticize her, or to take this award away from her.
Seriously, what do you gain from minimizing someone else’s struggles? Someone else’s courage?
Caitlyn Jenner possesses strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril, and the willingness to stand up for her beliefs no matter what the cost. She did not just speak for herself, she spoke on behalf of the larger population who is afraid of being true to themselves.
Imagine not being able to live your life because some asshole on Twitter made you feel ashamed of being the person you are.
Imagine wanting to end your life for that very reason.
Imagine being the reason why someone wants to end their life.
In all honesty, your opinion does not matter. What matters is that Caitlyn Jenner was able to offer a light to those trapped in a dark, dark tunnel. She was able to give a voice to those who have felt silenced by the harsh world we live in. She was able to reintroduce hope to a population that forgot what that word even meant.
No one should have to live their life in order to appease society. No one should feel like they need to end their lives in order to appease you.
Truthfully, it is sad that people need courage to be themselves in today’s society. People shouldn't have to feel like being themselves is a burden to others. But they do, and that is why Caitlyn Jenner deserves this award. She is courageous for standing in the spotlight in order to bring attention and awareness to an issue that does not get enough support. She is courageous for finally accepting herself even if that means living in a world of hate and disapproval. She is courageous for taking control of her life and choosing her own happiness rather than suffocating by the tight grip of society's expectations. This kind of courage may not be the traditional type of courage you have always known, but that does not mean her actions are anything less than courageous.
If Caitlyn Jenner and many others who are afraid to be themselves lived in a world where embracing who you are did not come with harmful backlash, then the controversy surrounding this topic would not exist. So, to those who voice their hurtful opinions regarding a topic that really has nothing to do with you: you are the very reason Caitlyn Jenner had to have so much courage to be herself. You have created a world where a person needs courage in order to accept the person they are. You are the reason that courage is taking on a new meaning and the reason that Caitlyn Jenner was recognized.
Don’t be so close-minded. If you haven’t already been able to tell, the world is changing, and I think it’s time we all need to start getting on board.
