It's been six weeks since the world first met Caitlyn Jenner on the cover of Vanity Fair.
In the month and a half since, we've learned that Caitlyn will star in a reality show on the same network that made her family famous.
Her fashion sense has made Caitlyn the toast of New York. She's inspired millions who have struggled with gender identity issues.
But Caitlyn's speech at the ESPY Awards was a new kind of coming out party.
After a stirring introduction by soccer star Abby Wambach, Caitlyn addressed an audience of her fellow athletes for the first time. And the result was spellbinding.
"Every time I turn around in life, I'm putting myself in high-pressure situations, but I've never felt more pressure in my life than picking out this outfit," Jenner joked at the start of her speech.
From there, things took a far more serious turn, as Jenner addressed the harsh realities of living a double life in the public eye.
"I dealt with this situation on my own," Caitlyn said. "It's been eye-opening, inspiring - but also frightening,"
She went on to detail the horrifying - and sometimes fatal - difficulties faced by transgender individuals in America.
Caitlyn acknowledged the importance of her interview with Diane Sawyer and offered an emotional ode to her supportive family.
But the part of Jenner's speech that likely carried the most resonance for millions of viewers concerned the ongoing difficulties faced by young Americans in the LGBT community.
Caitlyn identified herself as a lifelong star athlete who may have had an easier time than most trans individuals. She then cited specific cases of young men and women whose valiant struggles ended in tragedy.
"I can take it," Jenner said. "For the millions of kids coming to terms with who they are - they shouldn't have to take it.
"It's not just about one person; it's about thousands of people. It's not just about me. It's about all of us accepting one another. We're all different. That's not a bad thing. It's a good thing."
"And while it may not be easy to get past the things you always don't understand, I want to prove that it is absolutely possible, if we only do it together."
Millions of viewers will likely agree that it was the most stirring ESPYs speech since Stuart Scott's at last year's ceremony.
Hopefully, the effect will be just as indelible.
{ 0 komentar... read them below or add one }
Posting Komentar