Bruce Jenner Interview With Diane Sawyer

[dragonflies]

To call her a "hero" is an absolute insult to the true heros in this world. You know, the ones who risk their lives everyday for our freedom or to help others like fire fighters and police officers do. A hero is someone who goes above and beyond.

She may be brave but she's not a hero. I hate that word being thrown around. It cheapens it

[AdelaideCate007]

If the definition of hero to you is someone who goes above and beyond and saves lives, then Caitlyn Jenner fits the bill. If she stops one trans kid from killing themselves or gives one the courage to admit who they are, then she's gone above and beyond what she had to do. That's a hero (according to you). A 13 year old kid at my sister's school has come out as trans in the wake of Caitlyn Jenner because she was finally brave enough to do so after seeing Caitlyn Jenner do it.To that kid, she's a hero and I dare anyone to say she's not.

The police or the military are heroes yes, but they don't have a monopoly on being brave or a hero. Teachers, the people fighting cancer, the people trying to help the homeless, the people trying to stop ebola, the depressed people who are just trying to make it through the day- all brave, all heroes to somebody. People throwing the words around aren't what cheapens it. What cheapens it is people trying to deny the words when they don't fit their view of what they should be.

[Mr. Vixen]

God I love you so much, Addie! Bravo!

[Graham]

Yeah, I'm really surprised at the reaction from some of the other members on this board. Your occupation does not make you a hero. Your actions do. The fact that her decision to live her true self has so many people pressed tickles me greatly.

[ReddFoxx]

Heroes don't cause fatal accidents and then go around flaunting their celebrity status, but that's just one issue.

I just think it's all a publicity stunt and there are plenty of transgender people out there that are actually brave without getting a big payout for a reality show. At 65 years old, with a fat bank account and a legacy, it wasn't necessarily a risk to come out and there was little to loose. If someone looks up to Jenner, that is fine, but that doesn't mean Bruce/Caitlyn's intent was only rooted in being true.

[marceline]

I think everybody can decide for themselves what it means to be a hero. When I look at her do I think "hero?" No. But that doesn't mean I can't acknowledge that transitioning so publicly is going to help a lot of other people struggling with identity issues and not just in the case of gender. Whether I like Caitlyn or not - and I don't - there are people out there who have spent their lives feeling like freaks and now they get to see at least some piece of their story play out in the public consciousness. As a minority I understand all too well how much that means. I'm fortunate enough to never have had to struggle with my gender identity or orientation but I do know a tiny bit about feeling like a freak (I was the only black girl in a high school class of 500. Not the same, I know but still....). If someone can find comfort in her story maybe that means they won't find comfort in drugs, alcohol, self-harm or suicide.

Besides, this award is named after Arthur Ashe. That man experienced some form of ostracization his whole life. First because of his race, then because of his disease. Whether I think Caitlyn is a hero or not, I think the award is fitting.

[All My Shadows]

The word isn't being "thrown" around; others simply have a different definition for it that doesn't require the risking one's life. Using your very own definition, if a kid said his or her mother was a "hero," would you find offense with that?

In my opinion, a hero is simply a person who saves. I know for a fact that Jenner has saved more than a few transgender lives simply by being public. That can't be taken away because you don't like her family or her TV show, nor can it be taken away because she caused a fatal car accident. Is it controversial for that reason? Absolutely! We live in a world where we are now very careful about who gets celebrated, so yes, a part of me thinks it's in poor taste to award Jenner in light of the tragic accident, but we all know very good and well that the vast majority of the criticism has nothing to do with that factor.

More than anything, I am just sick to death of people very superficially using "the troops" as their ace in the hole in any argument. Do they have any idea what those men and women go through? A goddamn award from ESPN is not what they had in mind.

[DRW50]

It's just a word. It's not some type of cosmic determiner of fate. The people who are still seen as heroes are still seen as heroes. It only cheapens the word if you want it to be cheapened.

[DRW50]

It's just boilerplate at this point. People say it to make themselves feel better. Most of these people never have a word to say when retirement pay and health benefits of troops are slashed. That's because they don't really give a [!@#$%^&*] about them outside of some shiny figure in their mind, a little toy on the shelf.

[ReddFoxx]

I agree that being a hero isn't all about risking your life. With that said, I don't believe Jenner is totally sincere. A 65 year old white woman who benefited from years and years of straight white male privilege isn't all that brave. Plenty of transgender folks never had that advantage, but they stepped out when there was less tolerance and without name recognition or wealth. The biggest heroes are unsung.

[DRW50]

The problem is there is no real dividing line. Many people use Jenner to justify their fear and hatred of trans people. This is just bringing out issues that are often taken as the norm in society. So no, I don't think it's all that "brave" in Jenner's case, but it's talking about something that needs to be talked about. We still live in a world where many say a trans person can't use a bathroom of their choice because they will molest children.

[Soapsuds]

Jenner in no form is a hero.

[SFK]

I accept that the term is subjective.

Do you naysayers consider Magic Johnson to be a hero? I do. He revealed something deeply personal to shed light on a very important issue while using his celebrity and putting his public image on the line... all in the face of ignorance and nastiness, subjecting himself to hurt all for the greater good. I see a great similarity.

[SFK]

A soldier in defense of Caitlyn's ESPY: http://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/a-soldier-had-the-best-response-to-those-who-thought-caitlyn?utm_term=.ieLXb3v6vk&sub=3875883_6297193

[Cheap21]

I saw that and don't agree with him. He's equating people not supporting Caitlyn as automatically being bigots or homophobes and that Los not necessarily the case