Bruce Jenner, the man that was named “Athlete of the Year” in 1976 won the gold medal, but was still feeling like he was losing a battle with himself. Being in the spotlight all of his life only made his internal struggle that much harder to overcome, wondering how he will battle the collective criticism of not only the public, but from the rest of his family as well. Little did Bruce Jenner know that his confidants, and soon, the public, would show nothing but support during his transition.
Here are 16 overpowering, heartfelt, and raw lessons we learned from his interview with Diane Sawyer.
1.You are not your body, you are your soulDon’t let the physical define you, you are what your soul believes regardless of other’s opinions.
2.You can re-emerge as yourselfYou aren’t only born once, you can be born again if you allow yourself that opportunity.
3.Use your voice to help the voicelessYou can’t speak for everyone, but you can speak for yourself and impact everyone going through your same struggle.
4.You can’t live a lieDuring your last moments of life, you don’t want to regret not doing what you were destined to be.
5.Do what makes you feel good Wear that dress, wear that nail polish until it chips off, grow your hair long. No one’s opinion matters but your own. Once you accept yourself for who you are, others will follow.
6.Be comfortable in your own skinIt is never too late to be who you might have been.
7. Dont try to hide your issues and distract yourselfAs easy as it can be to distract yourself, it is only masking the real issue, not fixing it. Face all your problems head on, eventually you’ll have to whether you want to or not.
8.Sexual desire and gender are 2 different thingsJust as was stated in the interview, “Sexual desire is who you go to sleep with and gender is who you go to sleep as.”
9.Labels don’t matterGay, straight, heterosexual, cross-dresser, transgender, macho man. You are not limited to the vocabulary we have created, you can redefine yourself.
10.Use your fear as fireBruce manifested his fear into something great, you can too.
11.The quietest people have the biggest storiesThat man sitting in the background letting others push him around is only fighting his own battle. Never underestimate anyone.
12.In the end, you’ll only be disappointed in yourself for not exploring your true desiresEven at 65 years old, you can change into whoever and whatever you want to be.
13.You don’t have to pretend anymoreAs hard as it may be, pretending is much harder than facing reality.
14.Have a free soul and great supportYou can get through anything with a positive mindset and an even better support system, all you have to do is try.
15.You’re going to be OKNo matter how big, how long, and how deep one of your issues might be, in the end…you.are.going.to.be.ok.
16.Have an open mind and an open heartBoth are the recipe for happiness.
If anyone experiences hardships regarding identity, sexuality or gender, please do not hesitate to go seek professional help. UCSB Resource Center for Sexual Gender & Diversity is made up understanding, supportive and knowledge people.