Caitlyn: New Face of the Transgender Community
Caitlyn: New Face of the Transgender Community
“Bruce always had to tell a lie. Caitlyn doesn’t have any secrets. I’m free.” – Jenner
On March 15, 2015, Bruce Jenner began his facial feminization surgeries. On June 1, 2015, Caitlyn Jenner, aged at 65, was introduced to the world.
Since her debut on Vanity Fair, Caitlyn has become the new face of the Western transgender community. She has stunned everyone with her luscious hair, feminine eyes and beautiful lips. Using her social media platform to spread awareness and understanding of the word, “transgender”, Caitlyn has only received positive responses regarding her decision.
Caitlyn Jenner truly broke the Internet. Many people in the entertainment industry commented that she possessed a beautiful figure, and even deemed it to be more attractive than theirs. This social response was shocking and awe-inspiring because it demonstrated that more people were becoming supportive of the transgender community than before. The responses Caitlyn garnered over her transformation shows a rising fight to achieve equality for the LGBT community.
Since the introduction of Caitlyn a few weeks ago, the Google search of the words “Caitlyn Jenner” and “transgender” has turned up more than 62 million web results, quickly soaring to the 105 million web results of her former identity as Olympic gold medalist, Bruce Jenner. It is safe to say that Caitlyn is creating a positive buzz, spreading her news and thoughts to a far more diverse demographic than before.
In a recent ABC News interview with Diane Sawyer, Caitlyn responded, with tears sprouting from her eyes, “ I just can’t pull the curtains any longer” when Sawyer asked her why she finally decided to undergo transformative surgery at age 65. The ease with which Caitlyn came out to the world highlights a growing awareness of the transgender community and a greater sense of acceptance towards them as well.
Over the years, many influential figures have acted as representatives of the transgender community and swept social media with their coming out news. These figures have taught us and are still teaching us that acceptance is key to moving forward. They have also encouraged us to understand that we are all composed out of the same bone matter and possess the same emotions, despite differences in sexual orientation.
Prior to Caitlyn Jenner, Chastity Bono, the daughter of famous actress, Cher and artist, Sonny Bono, came out as Chaz Bono in 2010. A documentary, titled “Becoming Chaz”, was released in 2011, documenting Chaz’s personal struggles and experiences of societal alienation during her years of transformation into a transgender man. Chaz Bono raised awareness on the suppression he experienced, with regards to his freedom of expression of his true self, during a tumultuous period of his life. He said that his high social standing pressured him into attempting to act as a good and stereotypically straight role model.
Actress Laverne Cox, best known for her recurring role in Netflix’s original Orange is the New Black, has also shaped others understanding of the transgender community through her prominence. She has highlighted to others that transgender people are able to garner countless opportunities in the entertainment industry, despite their differences in sexual inclination. Her activism has helped her earn a wax figure in Madame Tussauds, a Primetime Emmy nominee as well as a coveted front cover position on TIME. She’s the first transgender woman to ever appear on TIME.
In terms of the state of the transgender community, I believe its face is constantly changing. With every change, more and more people are able to comprehend the transgender community. Some may still attempt to ignore the discussion revolving around this new revolution. However, here at Her Culture, we hope that everyone will respect the decision of others.
Grace Tang is a Senior high school student (starting September 2015) residing in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. She spends most of her free time scribbling down inspirational quotes, ideas for new articles, or anything on her mind. She already has published works throughout North America and plans to further fuel her passion for writing by networking with those just like her.