Courage: n. the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous
It's been a buzz word the last few days in American news. Bruce Jenner revealed himself as Caitlyn Jenner, and the world noticed.
A security guard at work about my age walked right up to me yesterday, pulled out his phone and showed me a picture of Noah Galloway, the soldier who lost both his left arm and left leg in Iraq, whom recently competed in Dancing With The Stars. He was pretty fired up about the fact that "America has chosen Bruce as having more courage than Noah." His words, not mine. I don't recall voting in any kind of election on whom had more courage. He then questioned me, "Who really has more courage?" Ummm, hello, I don't even know this guy but in passing, and my answer is... "they both have courage. They can not be compared." He did not like that. He walked away. And he'll probably give me looks from this point on.
But when I look at Caitlyn Jenner all gussied up on her Vanity Fair cover. I don't necessarily see courage. I see a cover girl. As any of us, famous or not, would look, if chosen to be on the cover of Vanity Fair. That's not real. What's real is what you see when Caitlyn walked into that cover shoot, before the cameras, before the make up. That was when the courage took place.
I have been thinking a lot lately about "bullying." And how that has become a defined word these days, even though it has always existed. I used to say that I was bullied in school. But I wasn't. I was made fun of and put down by some stupid boys who I will always remember. But I was never tortured, or brought to the point that killing myself was the only way out. I found my tribe of people and I lived thru those years. And I stand here today. I think about the people that maybe I wasn't very nice too and I get sad and embarrassed at the way I acted towards these individuals, now as an adult. And I can't even imagine what some people go through on a daily basis because they feel they can't be who they are.
I for one, can't understand why celebrities and athletes get the attention they do, and make the money they do. I am the first one to say it, usually while catching vomit in my hands, giving someone sedation to make their procedure go a little easier, wiping their backside because they can't do it themselves, placing my hands on their chest if necessary and bringing them back to life if I had too... I can't understand why our society will pay celebrities and athletes MORE money when they demand it... but my boss can't give me more than a 50 cent raise... "because times are tough, Erica."
So I get what people are trying to say... why so much attention to Caitlyn Jenner. It's amazing that THIS is making news. But, she is just one of many people. She is famous, and she is doing it. Of course, there will be media attention. These decisions are not taken lightly, they are heartbreaking for families, and these people are desperate to live the lives they feel they should have been living all along. I admit it is strange. But it's strange to me, because I don't feel that way. I like being a girl. I can't imagine what it would feel like to be in their shoes. Lonely, really lonely for sure. If it's possible then why not let these people be happy?
Just like.... a soldier in war demonstrates courage... a woman who leaves a man who beats her to a pulp demonstrates courage... a musician who heads to NYC to live the dream of making it big demonstrates courage... a fire fighter running into a burning building demonstrates courage... a kid on the playground who asks the outcast to play with him demonstrates courage.... a 50 year old decides to go back to school and get a degree demonstrates courage... it's also being famous and known, and reassigning your gender and saying... this is who I am now, knowing that the media is going to eat you alive for probably your entire life, that also demonstrates courage.
And if you want to bring church into it... do as Christ would, and love them. Don't degrade them. It is not your struggle to understand.
People need to stop comparing and judging. Be nice, let her be happy, let them be happy. Let them be and feel courageous.
