Why we need to talk about Caitlyn Jenner

Has or hasn't the media beat the story of little miss Caitlyn Jenner to death? I'm sure you and everyone else on the planet will agree with me when I say, media sources far and wide have had something to say about the Vanity Fair cover that I think is drop-dead stunning.

It's the first experience with a transition, most people (myself included) have gotten. I wouldn't be lying to say that Bruce Jenner has a following and a platform that spans many many people. Whether it be through sports recognition, or the Kardashian family, or other means, Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner's voice and words have the potential to be hear far and wide across many demographics that are aware of his, and now her, existence.  Bruce has gone out of her way to acknowledge and answer the many questions thrown at him that most of the population has never had a chance to ask before. No matter how ignorant (looking at you, Diane), or invasive, or personal, much of the worldwide curiosity has a chance satiation all due to little miss Caitlin Jenner.

The story can be appreciated by all generations. The Diane Sawyer interview relates well with the older generations and those who grew up with Bruce. The Kardashian special catered to a younger generation and gave intimate details of what it's like to go through a transition as a family. Sports fans and athletes alike have a lesson to learn about gender stereotypes and what it means to be brave, honest, realistic, and ignorant.

Gender is more relevant than it deserves to be. Once considered the ideal, Bruce now doesn't at all fit the bid for hegemonic masculinity, at all whatsoever. Pop culture icons usually feed stereotypes rather than work to break them down and to see Caitlin stand up for herself as the epitome of a "man's man" is really powerful and exciting. It makes me excited to be alive and to see it happen. After all, who really cares what someone looks like physically anyways?

It's not a realistic representation of transition. In real life it's not as easy or as glamorous as media has made it out to be because of Caitlin Jenner. There is probably a lot that Bruce did not wish the media to share and had right to censor the things that were just to personal. There's also a certain luxury to privacy that Bruce was denied during his transition and I can only image how hurtful people can be, to experience that first hand would not be glamorous in the slightest. 

Personally, I think transgendered is so misunderstood because it's unrelatable for most. Its hard to imagine what it must be like of feel like to question your own gender so to think that other people might is hard to grasp. I'm really happy for Caitlin to be living life the ways she's been imagining it and I'm proud to say that I live amongst many people who care more about a person's happiness than what they look like or dress like. Now for the important questions... 

Why C and Not K?

♥kpeterr