Bruce Jenner: The Interview

robeiae

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Diane Sawyer's interview with Jenner aired last night.

I have to say that I really don't pay much attention to the Jenner/Kardashian world. And I was a bit surprised when my 17 year old daughter informed me that some of her friends were coming over and they were all going to watch the interview.

But they did, start to finish. I watched some of it too. And I was surprised again. I found it to be very informative. My daughter and her friends had a lot of "oh, I didn't realize that/I never though about that" moments which was great, imo (fewer for me, as I guess I've picked up on a lot of these thinks hanging around AW).

ABC listed some of the biggest moments: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/12-biggest-moments-bruce-jenner-interview/story?id=30572364

But imo, the informative moments where bigger and Sawyer and ABC did a great job including such things.

Did you watch? What did you think?
 

mccardey

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Diane Sawyer's interview with Jenner aired last night.


Did you watch? What did you think?

Honestly, I'm not sure if Bruce Jenner is very big here because of being Australia, and I don't know Diane Sawyer at all - but this turned up on my twitterfeed today (perhaps because of the transgender issue). I facebooked it, because it seemed very sensible - and also because, media.
On April 24, ABC will air a two-hour interview between Diane Sawyer and Olympic gold medalist and reality television star Bruce Jenner. The interview is expected to address rumors that Jenner is transgender.

Given the tremendous amount of media attention the interview is expected to receive, here are a few reminders for media outlets who want to avoid making some of the most common mistakes found in coverage of major transgender news stories:
Read more: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/04/24/the-dos-and-donts-of-talking-about-bruce-jenner/203411
 
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Diana Hignutt

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I didn't see it. But, I will say that I don't like the way this whole business has been handled up to the interview. And that probably isn't Jenner's fault. Much of that is simply tabloid speculation based on Jenner's actions, though Jenner's reality tv habit have fed into that. That said, the Bruce Jenner transition seems to be going in reverse of the Standards of Care I utilized in my own transition.

For example, you're supposed to live as the desired gender full time before major procedure's (like Adam's Apple Shaving and such). We shouldn't be talking about Bruce Jenner at this point. We should be calling her Belinda, Bryce, or whatever. We should be using female pronouns.

I don't buy that fame or celebrity status cult thing should make a difference.

Jenner, like it or not, is now a huge figure in the Trans Movement or Community, or whatever...and she needs to start acting like it. Maybe she did in the interview. From Rob, it sounds like it to some extent. My two cents.
 

RedRajah

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I don't know what name or pronoun choice Jenner prefers using now but I will respect it whenever it comes to light (it meaning choice).
 

Diana Hignutt

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I don't know what name or pronoun choice Jenner prefers using now but I will respect it whenever it comes to light (it meaning choice).

I think saying "I am a woman" on national television makes that somewhat clear. YMMV.
 

Lyv

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I didn't see the interview, but heard from friends who did that Jenner prefers male pronouns. I read that in the editor's note at the end of GLAAD's statement about the interview:

Editor's note: At this time, Bruce Jenner has not requested that a new name or pronoun be used, therefore we are respecting his wishes and will continue to refer to Jenner by his current name and with male pronouns. Some transgender people prefer to change their name and/or pronoun quickly. Other transgender people may take more time to decide what name and/or pronoun feels right to them. To be respectful, use the name and/or pronoun requested by the individual.
 

Diana Hignutt

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I didn't see the interview, but heard from friends who did that Jenner prefers male pronouns. I read that in the editor's note at the end of GLAAD's statement about the interview:

It's a new world I guess. I found the standards of care helpful and in general well thought out. I do understand that many people deviate from them for their own reasons. It's not, however, just about him anymore, not since he made himself a powerful media presence in America today. Will we get immediate news updates when he decides he want to use new pronouns, and still more when the new name comes? Will we get to watch Bruce transition in his new reality show? If so, then I know what to call Bruce Jenner: whore.
 

Lyv

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I want to clarify, I was just passing on the information. I woke up this morning and saw friends (some of whom I know from the LGBTQ organization I volunteer for) on FB using male pronouns for Jenner and wondered why. One friend is the activist mom of a transgender daughter so I asked about it.
 

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I think a person should have the right to transition in the way that works for them. If he's more comfortable with the male pronoun then that is what I will use because I believe in taking my cue from the person themselves. To call someone she when they would rather be he is just as disrespectful as the other way round. My husband doesn't seem to mind either way. Especially as he is a father so he gets Dad whether he is being him or her. At present he's not ready to live full time so I address him based on the way he's dressed.

In doing it in his own way, in his own time I think Bruce Jenner is being a great ambassador. That actually going through the process should be something that the person takes the lead in and not a predetermined way - that many may find helpful but one or two do not.

He may never choose a new name - maybe he's happy with Bruce.










 
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It's a new world I guess. I found the standards of care helpful and in general well thought out. I do understand that many people deviate from them for their own reasons. It's not, however, just about him anymore, not since he made himself a powerful media presence in America today. Will we get immediate news updates when he decides he want to use new pronouns, and still more when the new name comes? Will we get to watch Bruce transition in his new reality show? If so, then I know what to call Bruce Jenner: whore.

This seems pretty harsh. Especially the use of a gendered insult.

I feel like a big part of the recent GLBT movement has been about not judging people and accepting them for who they are or who they are becoming. Being hostile to this guy because he's not transitioning in the way you expect him to?

Sorry. I really am checking my privilege on this one, and almost all the time I'd step away from the discussion because I figure you've got way more skin in the game than I do, but do you really think that level of hostility is justified?
 

Diana Hignutt

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This seems pretty harsh. Especially the use of a gendered insult.

I feel like a big part of the recent GLBT movement has been about not judging people and accepting them for who they are or who they are becoming. Being hostile to this guy because he's not transitioning in the way you expect him to?

Sorry. I really am checking my privilege on this one, and almost all the time I'd step away from the discussion because I figure you've got way more skin in the game than I do, but do you really think that level of hostility is justified?

My hostility has to do with his reality tv star status and the appearance that he intends to profit off his transition and use it to increase his fame and bank account, while most trans people who want hormones and surgery can't afford them. And, perhaps, I'm resentful that I went bankrupt transitioning in a formal program, and Jenner is making a fortune off going his own way. That's probably fair to say. And, I'm in a bad mood. And that's not Bruce Jenner's fault. I'll bow out of this one.
 

CrastersBabies

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Going through transition seems hard enough, but telling them they are automatically a role model for everyone else and must follow specific guidelines in their journey seems strange to me,

I read that he said his prefers "he," for now. I see no reason not to respect at. I imagine he will inform the masses when the time is right.
 

Celia Cyanide

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I have to say, I have no idea what it's like to be a reality TV star. I think that may affect his feelings about still using the male pronoun for the time being. He may be so well known as Bruce Jenner that it's hard for him to stop thinking of himself that way. I don't know.

I do know that I had a friend who recently came out as trans, and even though I knew before he made it public, I did not call him "he" until he was ready.
 

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Also he seems to have children and step-children in various stage of acceptance and that may have more impact on his decisions than being a reality TV star. I doubt mine would ever call their dad anything except Dad despite two out of the three having no issues at all and the other is just more embarrassed than unaccepting of his dad. My husband going slowly is as much to do with his mother and his kids as himself.
 

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I saw some of the interview. (It was on after I'd gone to bed; my kids recorded it, but since they both saw it last night, when they watched the recording today they fast-forwarded through large chunks.)

One thing that stood out to me was Bruce's hope that by being public about this, he might inspire others to reach out for help, or to be more comfortable about who they are, etc.

My gender-fluid 19-year-old is a volunteer on Trans Lifeline, a resource hotline for people who don't identify as cis-gender. Last night, the Lifeline had all hands on deck, anticipating a flood of calls as a result of this interview.

This morning, my kiddo said they received a LOT of calls from people seeking resources in their areas. She also had two calls from adults who are beginning to transition and wanted advice about how to address it with their children, and several from teens who needed support and advice about coming out to their parents. Several of the callers specifically pinpointed the Bruce Jenner interview as their reason for reaching out. (NOTE: Volunteers on the Lifeline can't give out identifying info, or specifics about any callers, but can talk in general terms about the calls they get, since some calls are very emotionally intense and the Lifeline folks want to make sure their volunteers are able to get support from friends and family in dealing with some of the things they hear.)

My 19-year-old also said that last night was the first time since she became a volunteer that NO ONE answering calls got any "hate calls". Every single call received last night was a genuine request for advice, resources, or support.

Whether or not people agree with Bruce's choices about his own transition, it seems, based on a small sampling at least, that his wish to make a difference for others is becoming reality.
 

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I have no opinion on Mr. Jenner transitioning to Miss Jenner. It's her decision and has no effect upon me one way or another.

I hope she's happy and that's all.
 

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I watched it, and was surprised to be impressed by Bruce Jenner. I have no interest in the Kardashian clan, and not that much familiarity with them.

However, I remember Bruce Jenner as the Olympic hero when I was a teen. I suppose that's why I stopped to listen. Early on they showed clips from those days, as he threw farther, ran faster, and so forth. Athletes competing with him who ended up groaning on the ground while he took a victory lap. It's no wonder he became famous after the way he handled the Olympics. They showed bits of interviews with him and his wife at the time, and he was very personable in those days, too.

It was interesting to turn on the TV today and immediately hear Bruce misquoted as having said, "I am a woman trapped in a man's body!"

He actually said it's not like that, it's that he was born with a female soul. He's always felt that way. The body is his, but the appearance doesn't match the way he feels.

Oh, they did state before the interview began that they were using the pronoun he preferred for now.

It was also interesting that he started to transition back in the 1980's and was on hormones for five years at that time. When he met his most recent ex-wife, he had to tell her right away because of the obvious changes.

He did say (I think) that his transition would not be shown. Diane Sawyer said something like, "So you'll disappear and emerge as ..."

Bruce responded, "As myself. Could anything be simpler than that?"

I came away from watching with the feeling that this is not a publicity stunt, but a situation he knew would be covered with or without his cooperation, so he decided on with. He also did say he hoped to save some lives by talking. At times, he was very emotional, and I did feel this has been a hard lifelong struggle.

As someone who has lived most of her adult life in the small town/very small city U.S. I feel I understand better. I've never had negative feelings about transgender people, but I've never known anyone who was, as far as I know.

Watching from my position of relative ignorance, I think I did come away with more compassion. Not that I had animosity, but I was less clued in before watching. I got more of a glimmer of the bind people are in trying to please others and meet expectations while feeling they are living a lie. I hope it might help people understand if their children, other relatives, or friends are transgender.
 
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I caught some of it, and it was really good. I was surprised that he and Dianne referred to 'her' as if it were a separate thing, talking about being dressed out as a woman. But I don't know much at all about the transition part of things, so it's just something new I learned.
 

J.S.F.

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If Bruce Jenner wishes to be called "Bryce" or "Bree" or be referred to as she, that's her business. I haven't seen the interview yet, so cannot and will not comment on that.

One of my friends is a transwoman and I adore her. I've always called her by her female name. I don't even know her birth name and never thought to ask. It's all about respecting her wishes. Same deal with Jenner.
 

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I caught some of it, and it was really good. I was surprised that he and Dianne referred to 'her' as if it were a separate thing, talking about being dressed out as a woman. But I don't know much at all about the transition part of things, so it's just something new I learned.

My husband is like that with his alter-ego (his phrase not mine). Currently it's a bit like Prince Adam becomes She-Ra.
 

William Haskins

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a cigarette smoking olympic legend transgender woman republican who's selling his life for fame and easy money and who killed another woman a couple of months ago while hauling his richfolks toys through malibu.

it's like an cultural identity rubik's cube.

i'm with my man nighttimer on this one: don't care, good luck.
 

backslashbaby

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My husband is like that with his alter-ego (his phrase not mine). Currently it's a bit like Prince Adam becomes She-Ra.

:D Yeah, I didn't know about that aspect with at least some folks. It's like becoming a superhero! ;)
 
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If Bruce Jenner wishes to be called "Bryce" or "Bree" or be referred to as she, that's her business. I haven't seen the interview yet, so cannot and will not comment on that.

One of my friends is a transwoman and I adore her. I've always called her by her female name. I don't even know her birth name and never thought to ask. It's all about respecting her wishes. Same deal with Jenner.

What's the commonly accepted practice for spelling here> I've seen places specify "trans woman" (or trans man) and denounce "transwoman" or (transman). My assumption being that the compound word version can be perceived as putting quotes around the "woman" part.
 

maxmordon

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What's the commonly accepted practice for spelling here> I've seen places specify "trans woman" (or trans man) and denounce "transwoman" or (transman). My assumption being that the compound word version can be perceived as putting quotes around the "woman" part.

From what I have been told by a trans friend, you use trans or cis as an adjective (the same way you would use gay, black, etc.) but use transgender as a single word.