By: Bryant “B-Boy” Worthing @bboyworthing
While at the grocery store and approaching the check stands you may have seen the tabloids with Bruce Jenner’s face on them more than once. Headlines reading “Bruce Wants to Be a Woman” or “Bruce’s New Identity”, on magazines that you may have not even bothered to pick up – magazines people usually think are just made-up tabloid garbage.
On Friday, April 24th, 2015, Bruce Jenner’s interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC News was a big moment for not only him personally, but for the entire world, who watched as he came to set the record straight. He ended all the speculation, dropping the bombshell in four words: “I am a woman”. He is obviously a man physically – having been married three times and having six biological children and four step-children – but he says his brain is much more female than male (although he still chooses to be addressed as a man). Back in February Jenner was involved in a car accident in Malibu, California, where eight people were injured and one death occurred. Needless to say, 2015 has been quite a ride for him and his family. What happens next for him is up in the air; he doesn’t have immediate plans for further sex transformation surgeries and he will continue his television work.
Jenner, 65, is famous for winning the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, being a well-respected motivational speaker, and more recently his marriage to Kris Jenner (Kardashian), mother of the entire Kardashian family dynasty. In October of 2013 they filed for divorce, and that is when much of the speculation began for Bruce with the media and paparazzi. But what he did was very brave, and it gave him a prominent role in the transgender community as their mission to grow acceptance and respect continues. This interview was a watershed moment in American entertainment, by doing transgender people a service and being broadcast to millions in a non-descript manner.
Bruce was reportedly not paid for the interview, and when asked if making this announcement was a publicity stunt he said no. Bruce believes that his situation will allow him to accomplish something good for the world. He also admitted that if the popularity of ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ has helped the platform for him to open up and go through this process, he is “okay” with that.
So, all the speculation and rumors were not tabloid garbage after all. Bruce Jenner is a human being, and as he opens up about his own life he is helping many people that struggle with gender identity at the same time.
