[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by DougB

Almost 2200 hits and 54 posts on a thread about a subject everyone is tired of hearing about everyday?

It's like a car accident................everyone is rubber necking.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I don't know anyone personally who has wanted to be another gender. I think few have known others who have wanted to be another gender. That is the reason the whole issue is troubling and emotionally charged. I think that not his angst is in question, but why he chose to not do it more privately.

Gracie, probably you do know trans gender people, but they are in the closet, like gays were back in the day.
Remember the elderly spinster school teacher who taught algebra (oh sorry, that was just at my school).
Bruce Jenner chose not to come out privately because he wants to bring the trans gender community out of the closet.
Twenty years ago, homosexuality was thought to be disgusting and a weird choice that people made.
Now we know that gay people are born that way, and it's not a choice at all, just genes, nothing to be frowned upon.

[DougB]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Gracie, probably you do know trans gender people, but they are in the closet, like gays were back in the day.
Remember the elderly spinster school teacher who taught algebra (oh sorry, that was just at my school).
Bruce Jenner chose not to come out privately because he wants to bring the trans gender community out of the closet.
Twenty years ago, homosexuality was thought to be disgusting and a weird choice that people made.
Now we know that gay people are born that way, and it's not a choice at all, just genes, nothing to be frowned upon.

Bogie....... Bare used the "e" word!

[CathyandSteveG]

I do know 2 transgender people....My son in laws brother....became a woman....and while in Canada having the surgery...he met a woman who was there to have surgery to become a man.

You guessed it....norman became katrina.....kendra became ken...and they have lived together for 13 years.

They did it quietly....

Bruce/Caitlyn...is an attention whore. Plain and simple. He has lived his life in the spotlight...cashing in on fame and made a fortune. I watched the interview where he said he was not going to complete the process to become a woman. To me...that statement speaks volumes. If indeed he did this and is speaking out on behalf of others and wants to set an example....then finish what you have started.

This is about MONEY...this is about ATTENTION.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Gracie, probably you do know trans gender people, but they are in the closet, like gays were back in the day.
Remember the elderly spinster school teacher who taught algebra (oh sorry, that was just at my school).

Originally Posted by DougB

Bogie....... Bare used the "e" word!

When I was in high school, I thought people in their 40s were elderly.
Now I know it is people over 80 who are elderly.
When I get to 80, it will be people over 100.

[Villager Joyce]

Just a thought. If Bruce became Caitlin without explanation, how would the absence of Bruce be explained?

[Barefoot]

18 years ago Elle DeGeneres came out and gays have been better accepted as a result of it.
Bruce Jenner is now trying to accomplish better acceptance for the trans gender community.
I wish him well. He obviously has a tough road ahead, with much hostility, ridicule and questioning of his motives.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I don't know anyone personally who has wanted to be another gender. I think few have known others who have wanted to be another gender. That is the reason the whole issue is troubling and emotionally charged. I think that not his angst is in question, but why he chose to not do it more privately.

People have instinctive reactions on a lot of levels toward others sexual behavior in public. I think that this is kind of like that.

I know a lot of gay people and I may know a lot of cross dressers, but if I do, I don't know WHO they are. I have known males who act feminine and females who act masculine.

Most of us are comfortable in our own sexuality and our partners, but even our kids may be uncomfortable about knowing or hearing of ours and we may not want to know too much about theirs.

It seems to be instinctive to choose our partner and have sex privately.

I am not making sense, even to me. So I guess I will stop typing.

I do understand that his gender change may be troubling and confusing to a lot of people and it seems to engender a lot more reaction from males.

It is because most of us cannot understand at all personally or from personal relationships what has happened to him and why he has made these choices. We are not bad for being confused or unable to make sense of it.

I wonder if the fact that you have not ever known someone who wanted to switch genders is because they were afraid to take the step, knowing the social problems it would cause (evidenced by this thread). Just as in the past gays were afraid to come out of the closet for many reasons. As far as you wishing he would do it more privately, Gracie... he doesn't have the luxury of privacy. He is a famous person constantly followed by reporters and photographers, and he does not have the ability to live a private life. If I were in that position, I know I would be outed anyway, so why not use my situation to engender more understanding/education of the public. Bring the topic to the forefront and develop more awareness. That is what gays did.

I think it is a brave thing that he has done. I don't think it is publicity mongering. I cannot imagine making such an abrupt change in my lifestyle and trying to keep it private when my life as a celebrity is already so public. And I applaud him for his bravery, and his son for defending him. Live and let live. How is what he has chosen to do going to hurt anyone?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I wonder if the fact that you have not ever known someone who wanted to switch genders is because they were afraid to take the step, knowing the social problems it would cause (evidenced by this thread). Just as in the past gays were afraid to come out of the closet for many reasons. As far as you wishing he would do it more privately, Gracie... he doesn't have the luxury of privacy. He is a famous person constantly followed by reporters and photographers, and he does not have the ability to live a private life. If I were in that position, I know I would be outed anyway, so why not use my situation to engender more understanding/education of the public. Bring the topic to the forefront and develop more awareness. That is what gays did.

I think it is a brave thing that he has done. I don't think it is publicity mongering. I cannot imagine making such an abrupt change in my lifestyle and trying to keep it private when my life as a celebrity is already so public. And I applaud him for his bravery, and his son for defending him. Live and let live. How is what he has chosen to do going to hurt anyone?

Again. This time I wasn't talking about him, his motives and his reasons. I was talking about the people who find this hard to understand. I think that being a cover girl is a little too much. He could have shown up at some gala and been photographed but again I think it is the pleasure he gets from wearing women's clothes that is just a little much to understand and I really don't want to share. A nice three piece suit would have sufficed nicely.

As I tried to say before, sometimes figuring it out is instinctively troubling. Too close to disturbing thoughts and images. We are only people and most of us are not mean people. How he has chosen to present himself is engendering all of this talk and this interest because it is very different. It leaves me with the same kind of troubled thoughts as when I saw a set of twins with one body on a Television show in the last few years. You wonder, you are somewhat shocked and yet you hurt for them . There are so many unanswered questions, about who they are and how they will be for all of their lives. We like things, us humans, to be easily understood, and sometimes things aren't easily understood.

Many kind people are struggling with absorbing all of this. The emotions that come with the effort are unbidden.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by Mudder

It's an award for athletes who have shown courage. As an athlete Jenner has done what few others have been able to do. Having been known as a great athlete all his life, but yet to have the inner struggle of feeling like being in the wrong body was not easy. To feel like a fraud for his whole life is very stressful. Transgender people are at a point now where gays were about 20 years ago......and look how far the world has come in acceptance. Hopefully trans people will enjoy that same acceptance. People, it's not about sex, it's about their inner soul. I honestly don't know if Caitlyn Jenner deserves the award this year, and she certainly doesn't need or really want money. She just wants to live her authentic life. Until you walk in someone's shoes you really have no right to make judgements.

Unfortunately, this was one of the few posts that wasn't nasty, narrow minded, or mean spirited. Sad.

[graciegirl]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_transsexualism

[sunnyatlast]

Well maybe it's just me and the assumed low IQ we "bigots" are told makes us so stupid.

But I'm still trying to figure out how Bruce got a Y chromosome replaced wth an X chromosome, to truly become a woman.

One thing is pretty certain, though. He does have the millions to buy all this surgery, hormonal treatments for life, and custom tailoring to make designer clothes/costumes that fit..... earned from the price of admission people are paying to see this circus side show, like they wanted to see the fat lady or the midget.

As P. T. Barnum so aptly stated, "There's a sucker born every minute."

And Caitlyn's cashing in under the Big Top.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

Well maybe it's just me and the assumed low IQ we "bigots" are told makes us so stupid.

But I'm still trying to figure out how Bruce got a Y chromosome replaced wth an X chromosome, to truly become a woman.

One thing is pretty certain, though. He does have the millions to buy all this surgery, hormonal treatments for life, and custom tailoring to make designer clothes/costumes that fit..... earned from the price of admission people are paying to see this circus side show, like they wanted to see the fat lady or the midget.

As P. T. Barnum so aptly stated, "There's a sucker born every minute."

And Caitlyn's cashing in under the Big Top.

Good ole PT would cash in on him put him in the freak show for sure.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by mickey100

Unfortunately, this was one of the few posts that wasn't nasty, narrow minded, or mean spirited. Sad.

Narrow minded = there are rules
Open minded = there are no rules

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

Narrow minded = there are rules
Open minded = there are no rules

Dictionary Definitions

Narrow-minded | Define Narrow-minded at Dictionary.com

dictionary.reference.com/browse/narrow-minded
having or showing a prejudiced mind, as persons or opinions; biased. 2. not receptive to new ideas; having a closed mind.

Open-minded | Define Open-minded at Dictionary.com

dictionary.reference.com/browse/open-minded
having or showing a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments. 2. unprejudiced; unbigoted; impartial.