For God’s sake America grow up!
OK, I’m willing to admit that the arrival of Caitlyn Jenner is most likely a good thing for the transgender community. Even the man that at one time was the most popular athlete in America has the courage to inform us that he was not who we thought he was. Inside his extremely successful male body he know he was someone else – someone who was not the “he” that we perceived. Biology had misdealt his physicality with his self-understanding. Bruce, from what I can understand, always knew he was someone else. Someone the whole world now calls Caitlyn. (By the way- it is also fine with me if someone didn’t feel this way all their life but just wants to choose it.) It’s just something that sometimes happens. It can be disconcerting and confusing both for the individual and those who are in that person’s life. But ideally it’s nothing to get all that worked up about.
We know of course that people get worked up about this. I suppose we can root around in the Bible and find some verses to condemn it. Leviticus, Paul, some of the folks who wrote the scriptures were writing from very narrow world views that did not understand the physical and psychological complexities of the human body and soul. Thankfully most of the world had put down the stones of painful moral condemnation. As my old moral theology professor, Charles Curran, used to say, “My Church I s a big church, my God is a big God, she really is!” Jesus was all about making room at the table for someone else. I don’t think God is ever confused about who we are.
I think that many also understand that Kim Kardashian’s step-parent is not the most routine example of the phenomenon of the transgender person. Some can only make their fashion choices from Goodwill. They do not have a squadron of make-up artists to help them achieve some sense of glamour. In fact, for some, the choice of gender integrity also involves a repudiation of the physical stereotypes that come along with particular gender identifications. I don’t begrudge Caitlyn Jenner’s desire to be glamourous. But I know for many that is not what this is about.
Finally, I want to say something about the reaction I have noticed in some quarters. Facebook and Twitter are the most egregious examples of the mob mentality. We even speak of social media lynching (a bit of hyperbole that grossly distorts an act of horrific barbarity). Some commentators have taken to referring to Caitlyn Jenner as heroic. I know see these Facebook posts with pictures of military service people with words suggesting that is the only appropriate use of “heroic”. Oh, for God’s sake America, Grow up! No one has the monopoly on the word or experience of heroism. Soldiers are sometimes heroic. God bless them. Other people, Moms and Dads, teachers, nurses and doctors, all kinds of people, even transgender former decathlon gold-medalist are heroic. People who know me know my mantra – “Shake it off, Crybaby!”
So, as they say, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!”
…and that’s the way it is…
Good Night and Good Luck!
Rev. Fred — 6/4/2015
