I want to start this article off by clearly stating that I am in no way racist, homophobic, trans-phobic or discriminatory. It was drilled into my head at an early age that I was to treat others kindly and with respect. That was something my parents made sure my sister and I knew. Everyone is different and we all have that right. I was taught at an early age never to discriminate and while growing up, I heard the golden rule multiple times: treat others the way you want to be treated.
I am still fond of this rule today, as it has been drilled into my head through the years. I refuse to treat others with disrespect and despise the people who firmly believe they are better than others because of certain characteristics they have that other people do not possess.
Recently, Caitlyn Jenner came out with her first magazine cover. For those of you who have been following the latest story, you know that once this picture was released, Twitter, Instagram and other social media outlets blew out of the water with hash tags like #CallMeCaitlyn #CaitlynJenner and many more. Our world stood still as Bruce became Caitlyn, and as she sacrificed her privacy for a public message.
Something I do not quite understand with today's society is our lust for celebrities. I will admit to following in every once and a while to the latest gossip on people that some look up to, but I do not admire the gluttony of some celebrities and the envy that fills the minds of common people.
Caitlyn Jenner is brave. She came and expressed to the world on how her struggles and triumphs have reflected her life thus far. What I do not understand is why, all of a sudden, this is the biggest story to date.
Throughout the fashion world, there are multiple transgender models who have not been put into such a spotlight as Caitlyn Jenner. Many pose as men but are truly women. Elliot Sailor is a perfect example of this.
Not to say Caitlyn Jenner is not a hero to some, because I could not fathom how hard it may be to come out and say, “I want a sex change." Major props to the humans who have had the bravery to embrace what they know they truly are.
As I trolled through Facebook the other day, I came across a photo of an army veteran with no legs. Pictures like these regularly catch my attention due to the fact that soldiers, men and woman, risk their lives and freedom for the country we call home. Yet, these soldiers are not put under a limelight.
The caption of the photo read that Caitlyn Jenner was receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award (given by ESPN) while the picture was of Army Veteran Noah Galloway, who had lost an arm and a leg in a roadside bomb. Not only did Galloway risk his life for our country, he came back without two limbs and has completed multiple crossfit events, marathons, and the 58-hour Death Race Challenge.
Although people decide their heroes based off of their personal beliefs and experiences, I do ponder why celebrities make headlines when they are achieving triumphs that most people go through on a day-to-day basis.
I admire the bravery of Caitlyn Jenner but when I think about these things and put it all into perspective, who is the real hero here? Someone who recently came out with a sex change, spending millions of dollars to make themselves new, or someone who went through hell and back to serve his country and fight for our freedom?
