Bruce Jenner special

[ariel71]

OK, I'm definitely going to hell for posting this, because I do support what he's doing, but I just couldn't suppress a laugh when I ran across this. Lord forgive me.

May the force be with you. Seriously though, this was posted on Facebook and the person who posted it was basically skewered and roasted alive. I hope the good folks of the dis go easy on you, it seems you posted it in jest, not because you are mocking him or find his situation funny.

That picture is, by definition, mocking Jenner. An "I support Jenner but think this is funny" disclaimer doesn't change that. I don't know how people can't see beyond the immediate laugh to the bigger picture - how hurtful jokes like these are to others in the transgender community hoping for acceptance. You may see it as just some small chuckle. To them, it's yet another example of the ridicule and bias they face.

I don't know anyone who's transgender, but I'm compassionate and won't make light of others' pain.

 

[Experiment]

I just think it's sad. Everyone has problems, but most of us are pretty comfortable with our own gender identities. I can't imagine struggling with this issue. I still don't think changing gender is going to make everything better.

 

[PrincessElena]

I wonder if there will be a part 2 interview coming up.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I like the way he seems to be handling this now. However, I read a piece written by his first wife. He did not tell her until they had 2 children. He also spent a good deal of time avoiding his responsibilities financially and otherwise for his children. He seems to have mended that rift but he missed their growing up years, if she is being truthful.

Linda Thompson (#2) didn't find out, until they had two children. It was the reason for their divorce. I don't believe he told #1, during the marriage.

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

Am I the only one who is disgusted? Not by him being transgender, I strongly believe in compassion and human rights for all and I wish him the best in his journey.
That said, I am so freaking sick of Jenners and Kardashians and their constant need for attention and publicity. They have no right to complain about lack of privacy.

 

[Ambear]

That said, I am so freaking sick of Jenners and Kardashians and their constant need for attention and publicity. They have no right to complain about lack of privacy.

Hahaha I agree. But people keep watching their show and LOVE gossiping about all of them. Like the obsession with that one girls lips and the entertainment press can't wait to hear what Kanye will say about anything. Basically, we keep them popular.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You give few details, so please forgive me if I get the personal pronouns wrong. I'm not sure if by referring to a trans DD you mean born a boy and now a girl or born a girl and may transition to a boy.

I would wish your child well also, but I presume at the age of 18 (s)he has not yet made any major life-commitments to another person such as marrying an opposite sex spouse and vowing to be a wife/husband, perhaps bearing or siring children and parenting them as a mother or father. I would hope you, as his/her parent knowing your child is trans would not allow such a set of circumstances to occur. Because what we're discussing here is not the cut-and-dried issue of whether anybody approves/disapproves of gender transitioning or whether or not an individual identifying as trans has a "right to be happy". In Bruce Jenner's case specifically we're talking about the people (3 wives and 10 children) that have had their realities altered beyond anything they ever would have chosen for themselves. And now, as one PP put it, they should just "deal with it". OK, but anybody who imagines that not to be hurtful and difficult beyond belief is being very callous.

I agree with you that some people will have a difficult time and be hurt but on the flipside some people will not be hurt and be happy that their loved one is able to live the life that they are meant to live.

Each individual will have their own feelings and opinions how this change by Bruce will affect them or alter there lives.

I am just a person who goes with the flow and it would not be something hurtful to me and I would be happy for my loved one. Those are just my personal feelings on the situation.

 

[DebbieB]

I wonder if there will be a part 2 interview coming up.

Tomorrow - Good Morning America

 

[aristocatz]

Am I the only one who is disgusted? Not by him being transgender, I strongly believe in compassion and human rights for all and I wish him the best in his journey.
That said, I am so freaking sick of Jenners and Kardashians and their constant need for attention and publicity. They have no right to complain about lack of privacy.

I don't think he did it for publicity. If it were another family member (Kardashian)? Sure, absolutely that would be my first thought. He always came off as different to me & really just on that show because he is the dad. He partly needed to do this because he was being slammed & humiliated by paparazzi & entertainment news outlets. He even said in his interview that one of his surgeries got leaked by the paparazzi & they were humiliating him & he was so devastated that he contemplated suicide one night.

He is also a motivational speaker (by trade-http://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/bruce-jenner) He's been doing this for many years. I partly think he did this for himself, as part of therapy, as well as for others who are struggling with this. He is in a great position, as a celebrity, to reach out & support others, possibly save the lives of many transgendered individuals who are feeling hopeless & suicidal. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up doing motivational speeches down the road to trans teens or something, trying to support them.

 

[Lynne M]

It's funny, if he weren't associated at all with the Kardashians and their reality show empire, I'd have nothing but sympathy for his struggles, and I'd be thinking he was doing a tremendous thing for the transgender community by coming forward and talking about his life.

But the fact that he's doing an E! reality show is just a complete and utter turnoff. It's going to be a circus. It can't help but be a circus, with that network and that family. What could have been educational, and opened some minds, is going to be trashy and titillating. I'm afraid it's going to do more harm than good for transgender people.

 

[anniemae]

I think he did the interview because he had to. There is no way he could do it quietly or privately. He is constantly followed and hounded by the press, so I think he just wanted to put it all out there.

I think he said that was his last interview as "bruce" and the next interview would be as "her." Do we know when he will start permanently start dressing as her?

 

[sunshinehighway]

It's funny, if he weren't associated at all with the Kardashians and their reality show empire, I'd have nothing but sympathy for his struggles, and I'd be thinking he was doing a tremendous thing for the transgender community by coming forward and talking about his life.

But the fact that he's doing an E! reality show is just a complete and utter turnoff. It's going to be a circus. It can't help but be a circus, with that network and that family. What could have been educational, and opened some minds, is going to be trashy and titillating. I'm afraid it's going to do more harm than good for transgender people.

I agree with you. During the interview, his "documentary" on E! was mentioned. Calling it a documentary doesn't change the fact that its on E!, a channel that's filled with trashy (and sometimes fun to watch) reality shows.
Maybe it's the Kardashian connect but there's something not right with it.
He talked in the interview about privacy and going out and not being noticed but he's doing a reality show.
He wants to change the world but he chooses a tabloid entertainment network for his show.

 

[Kbee]

I think he did the interview because he had to. There is no way he could do it quietly or privately. He is constantly followed and hounded by the press, so I think he just wanted to put it all out there.

Of course he wanted to put it all out there, he needs to promote his reality show.

Lynne M, I think you are exactly right.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Gold medal winner in Decathlon 1976 in Montreal. I'm guessing you weren't born yet or were just a child at the time.

I was born right in the middle of the 1976 Olympics.

 

[DebbieB]

I had GMA on, I changed the channel, I'm sick of hearing about it.

 

[goofinoff]

Linda Thompson (#2) didn't find out, until they had two children. It was the reason for their divorce. I don't believe he told #1, during the marriage.

He did actually. She kept it quiet.

 

[NewRVLady]

It's funny, if he weren't associated at all with the Kardashians and their reality show empire, I'd have nothing but sympathy for his struggles, and I'd be thinking he was doing a tremendous thing for the transgender community by coming forward and talking about his life.

But the fact that he's doing an E! reality show is just a complete and utter turnoff. It's going to be a circus. It can't help but be a circus, with that network and that family. What could have been educational, and opened some minds, is going to be trashy and titillating. I'm afraid it's going to do more harm than good for transgender people.

I have read he has nixed the idea of a show and did this interview INSTEAD!?????

 

[cabanafrau]

As I suspected, I watched, listened, and I'm still bothered by the cloud of Kardashian and reality TV hanging over this. He seemed quite genuine, but the skeptic in me needs a messenger without that baggage. The Kanye/Kim credit really rang my skeptometer.

I'm still painfully ignorant. It's not sexuality, but what is it beyond clothes, hair, makeup and fingernails? For him it seems his interests remain the same, golf and racing. He stated, "Bruce is not gay." Then later in the interview, after saying it wasn't about sexuality, said he didn't know if he'd still prefer women.

I give his first two wives credit for a lot of class to make such supportive statements, and to keep his secrets. He was very unfair to them in their marriages.

 

[havaneselover]

I really don't pay much attention to him or the Kardashians, but I guess what I don't get is why on earth he married Kris and had children with her. At that point, hadn't he realized that this struggle seemed to destroy his relationships?

 

[anniemae]

As I suspected, I watched, listened, and I'm still bothered by the cloud of Kardashian and reality TV hanging over this. He seemed quite genuine, but the skeptic in me needs a messenger without that baggage. The Kanye/Kim credit really rang my skeptometer.

I'm still painfully ignorant. It's not sexuality, but what is it beyond clothes, hair, makeup and fingernails? For him it seems his interests remain the same, golf and racing. He stated, "Bruce is not gay." Then later in the interview, after saying it wasn't about sexuality, said he didn't know if he'd still prefer women.

I give his first two wives credit for a lot of class to make such supportive statements, and to keep his secrets. He was very unfair to them in their marriages.

He was kind of cagey when asked about sexuality and if he would be considered a lesbian and once he started dressing as a woman, would he be romantically interested in a man or a woman. I would think he would still be interested in women. He said he was never attracted to men and has never been with a man. Then he said that if Kris was okay with it, he would probably still be with her. For some reason, he did not want to say that he would most likely be with a woman. I think it would just raise another set of issues. Or maybe he is just trying to get through his transition.