Tuesday 2 June 2015

WHO ARE YOU, WHO WHO, WHO WHO


It astounds me that in this day and age, people are still not able to be who they truly are; or shall I say, people still fear being who they are due to the overwhelming repercussions that befall them, either mental or physical. As we know, in some countries, the repercussions are 1,000 stones at your head, so this is no laughing matter.

Recently - unless you’ve been on sabbatical in the outback - the famed athlete Bruce Jenner has just revealed himself, or shall I say, herself, to have transitioned into a woman. This transition has not only been widely publicized (Caitlyn, her new name, has just got the cover of Vanity Fair and she looks pretty damn impressive, if I do say so myself), but the entire process will be documented, as nothing is done behind closed doors anymore, on a reality show….You know where I stand on reality shows (for those of you that don’t, I hate them), but for once, I support Caitlyn’s journey purely for the exposure it will bring to the transgender community and how it will challenge those myopic folks out there that can’t handle change or progress. (It’s a comin’, so you better figure out how to deal with it). And of course hopefully it will finally demonstrate that whether it’s Bruce, or Caitlyn, she is just a human being trying to live a life that is filled with truth and contentment – whether that comes from a Louboutin or a javelin. 

In terms of Bruce Jenner’s path, it is very similar to any other person living in the silent shadows; he always felt like he was someone else deep inside, but fear and shame kept him from living as (her) true self. That mere statement depresses me to no end, simply thinking of all the people out there who share those feelings. Can you imagine (and perhaps you can all too well) not only growing up with the usual adolescent insecurities and doubts that plague us in our youth, but throwing in the added onus of not feeling like you can truly be who you are? I don’t know about you, but as a teenager, I had no sodding clue who I was, but I knew that my biggest challenge in identifying that was myself. There was no one intimidating me, or threatening me, or hating me due to my sexual preference or sartorial choices. Of course, I was also stubborn, and rebellious, so if I wanted to wear a Megadeth T-shirt with a prairie skirt, I did so. But that’s a far cry from being utterly compelled to steal my father’s suits and wear them to school (actually not a great example as I did wear my dad’s suits with a pair of heels from time to time and rocked it, if I do say so myself).

Sadly, society has always sent the message that if you’re a boy, you pick up a toy car, whack on a baseball cap and you remain a boy. And don’t get me started on the messages they send to little girls – grab you’re pink tutus and dollies ladies, and prepare to suck at math and become a good cook. SOD that. I of course happily let the King play the princess when he was little if he felt like it and push a pink pram around the park; I figured I might as well start him off early in understanding the (smarter) sex and that defined (and constrictive) gender roles were just a societal construct. I figured whomever was inside that little body of his, it was up to him to express it….Turns out it was a truck wielding, cheese guzzling, high energy maniac, but hey. 

Yes, we are years behind a free society where people can do, wear and sleep with whomever they want to without receiving any backlash. As we know there are still many (many) cultures where being gay – let alone transgendered – will result in one’s death. But, I am hoping and praying that the more Caitlyn's we put on magazine covers, the more the world will see, that our bodies are mere decorative shells if you will. And what is on the inside of this shell is not only tantamount, but it is undeniable. No matter how hard one – or society – tries to pigeonhole, suppress, or ignore a certain faction, the louder they are going to scream (wow, does that apply to so many situations around the planet right now).  

So Caitlyn, I applaud you. Strap on the highest pair of heels you can find and strut your feminine stuff; oh, and now that you're a woman, expect to be paid less, objectified, and talked down to, but hey, we women are a strong breed and can handle what life throws at us. Here's to the sisterhood. 

Copyright © 2014 Anthea Anka - Delighted And Disturbed