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ESPN’s “ESPY” awards ceremony, broadcast on sister network ABC, included the latest chapter in the media saga of former Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn (formerly Bruce) Jenner. Jenner received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which is described by ESPN this way:
“Recipients reflect the spirit of Arthur Ashe, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost.”
Giving the award to Jenner has been widely criticized – veteran NBC sportscaster Bob Costas called it “just a crass exploitation play — it’s a tabloid play”, and I must agree.
Ever since her coming-out in a much-hyped interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC’s 20/20 on April 25, Jenner has turned her transition from man to woman into a vehicle for publicity and revenue. Also generating a lot of buzz was an article in the June edition of Vanity Fair magazine, which featured the 65-year-old Jenner in highly-airbrushed glamour photos, including a lingerie shot on the cover. The former decathlete has also been working on a new reality TV series about her transition called “I am Cait” with the all-things-celeb network E!.
Jenner is the well-known patriarch (or at least he was) of the publicity-seeking reality TV family, the Kardashians. The Kardashians are masters at keeping themselves splashed all over the tabloid news, and this continues the tradition. An upcoming episode of “I am Cait” will feature the run-up to Jenner receiving the ESPY.
Reports have surfaced that Jenner demanded the award as part of the deal between ABC, ESPN, and Jenner’s PR team that included Jenner’s participation in the 20/20 interview. If true, it is not surprising; everyone involved – Jenner, ABC, ESPN, and Vanity Fair – have seemed intent on maximizing the publicity surrounding Jenner’s transition, all while patting themselves on the back for tackling this subject.
But really, they are not doing a story on a transgender – they’re primarily doing a celebrity story, a Kardashian story. The ESPY didn’t go to just any transgender athlete – it went to a reality TV star whose sports career ended 40 years ago, well before he came out as trans. If any of these media outlets wanted to do a story on the plight of ordinary transgenders, nothing was or is stopping them. (To its credit, ABC’s news magazine show “20/20” did stories on transgender children in 2007 and 2013).
Caitlyn Jenner lives in a bubble of money and celebrity that shields her from the obstacles that many transgenders face. Transgender children and adults are subject to ridicule, discrimination, intimidation, assault, and murder, not glamour photo spreads in national magazines and prestigious awards.
And if you’re patting yourself on the back for following this story, cut it out. You’re feeding the Kardashian monster, which is fine if that’s your thing. But don’t kid yourself about what it means. If you’re really interested in learning about ordinary transgenders, here are some viewing suggestions:
PBS Frontline – Growing Up Trans
CBS News Sunday Morning – Born this way: Stories of transgender children
NBC News – Jacob’s Journey: Life as a Transgender 5-Year-Old
ABC News 20/20 – A Story of Transgender Children
ABC News 20/20 – Transgender at 11: Listening to Jazz
