Yesterday was my birthday and I was going to write about something more light-hearted, with puns and reasons why no one likes you when you’re 23 (sigh). Instead, I was lucky enough to have an amazing news story come to light. Below are my thoughts and reflections on the beautiful Caitlyn Jenner.
Caitlyn is absolutely crucial to our society. She did not deserve to feel trapped for 65 years, and those who choose to judge her have never had such an immense burden on their shoulders. So she did something about it (better late than never) and she had every right to. Those who make and share that terrible Wheaties Box meme are those who are spreading hate. Those who laugh are laughing because they think they are better. They think Caitlyn is sinning more than they ever have.
I think those people are cold, hateful, insensitive, and overall extremely wrong. I think they are putting themselves on a pedestal; acting as though they have never had premarital sex, never had an abortion, never were jealous of their neighbor, never missed church on Sunday. As a 23 year-old practicing Roman Catholic, I think what Caitlyn did is absolutely beautiful. All sins are created equal (explained in Romans 6:23). Whether you rob a bank, or kill your neighbor, judging people and making fun of people is the exact same sin in God’s eyes.
Perspective: What if Bruce was your uncle? What if your child tells you they are a transgender when they are in elementary school? What if your favorite aunt came out and told you she feels like she is a man and has felt that way her whole life, and she felt like you were the only one she could turn to? Do you feel any differently now?
This is in no way an easy thing to grasp. It is hard to understand. But that is why we must choose love, and choose to educate ourselves instead of laughing at someone else’s cross they have to bear.
It breaks my heart to see people on my timeline making remarks about how Caitlyn is just ‘sick and needs shock therapy because of her mental illness.’ How dare you judge someone for what they are going through? Spreading hate is not helping Caitlyn, nor is it helping the suicide rate of the 700,000 transgenders in our country.
I know I get a little too emotionally involved in the Kardashian/ Jenner families (it’s my guilty pleasure; we all have one), but I truly believe Caitlyn Jenner is helping our society understand more about the transgender community. And I think it is absolutely wonderful that Vanity Fair has chosen her has their July cover.
I think this is a step toward equality, and we all need to accept each other for who we are, because at the end of the day, it is not our job to judge.
Photo Credit: Vanity Fair
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great of a burden to bear.” MLK
XX TB
trendstetter 