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Letter: Jenner’s transformation is an act of bravery

I have seen complaints from people about Bruce Jenner coming out and changing genders. The complaints said that it wasn’t an act of bravery. Bravery isn’t about saving people or running a tough race or playing sports when you could drop dead.
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The now iconic Annie Leibowitz cover photo for Vanity Fair of Caitlyn Jenner has been all the talk of social media this week. And while her transition is inspiring for many transgender people, it also highlights the lack of support available in many communities, particuarly in Northern Ontario. Supplied photo.
I have seen complaints from people about Bruce Jenner coming out and changing genders. The complaints said that it wasn’t an act of bravery.

Bravery isn’t about saving people or running a tough race or playing sports when you could drop dead. Bravery is about doing something that goes against the norms set down by society or by biology.

When we see a burning building, it is brave to run in to save people because our biological instincts tells us to preserve ourselves. It’s not normal to risk our lives for other people.

Bravery for fathers 20 years ago, would be to join their wives in the birthing room and be there from start to finish (I got a dislocated thumb from my first one. I wisely learned from that for my second child). It wasn’t the norm, now it is. Now it is not normal for the father to not be with their partner in a common birth.

Bravery 10 years ago was coming out of the closet; to admit to mom and dad that you were gay.

Now, bravery is changing your gender in public and not re-arranging your life. In the past, when gender re-assignment occurred, they would move away, start again.

So, Bruce, coming out and becoming Caitlyn is huge. It is an act of bravery because it goes against the norms. It teaches society that we still have a long way to go to be equal, respectful and diverse.

It’s incredibly brave, what she did. If you don’t understand, then please I strongly encourage you to talk to transgender people and learn about what they have gone through in their lives. It will be quite the profound conversation to have.

Travis Morgan
Whitefish