Tag Archives: Olympic

Ellen DeGeneres Addresses ‘Childish’ Jokes About Bruce Jenner

When Olympic gold medal winner and reality TV star, Bruce Jenner, recently came out as trans in an interview with Diane Sawyer – we knew there would be some backlash. But one key person to show their support is Ellen DeGeneres

Moments after the interview, she tweeted her support at the time, saying Jenner was a “beautiful, brave human being”.

Ellen DeGeneres is no stranger to addressing a sensitive topic in the public eye after coming out as gay in 1997, and the talk show host addressed the information, along with the reception of it, in her usual wonderful way.

It was an amazing interview, it’s very hard to reveal what you’ve been hiding. I know there’s been a lot of jokes and I think when people feel uncomfortable or they don’t understand something that’s how they deal with it, they make jokes, it’s very childish and I think those people are poo poo heads.

Even if you don’t understand it, you’ve got to admire someone who is willing to risk ridicule and tell the truth. Everyone has something that makes them feel different and like they don’t belong I hope we can all learn to co-exist and stop judging each other.”

She concluded on a simple note,

Let’s face it: the world would be a nicer place if we focused on what we had in common instead of what makes us different because we all want the same thing—we want love, we want acceptance and we want the new Apple watch. That’s all we want.

I hope we can all learn to coexist and stop judging each other, I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, less judging, more dancing.”

Will Bruce Jenner Public Transition Shine a Much Needed Spotlight on Transgender Inequality?

In coming out as a transgender woman, U.S. Olympic gold medalist and TV reality star Bruce Jenner made clear that while he is keen to help raise awareness about problems faced by the trans* community, he is not self-appointing himself as a spokesman.

I would like to work with this community to get this message out. They know a lot more than I know. I am not a spokesman for the community.”

During a groundbreaking interview, Jenner made a case for the transgender community’s fight in the United States for equality, a safer society and more acceptance and understanding – in Washington, in church, in the media.

In the last few years, the community’s visibility has been on the rise, with hollywood beginning to embrace transgender characters and storylines in TV shows like Transparent and Orange Is the New Black.

Mainstream acceptance of transgender people is in its infancy, making the transition hard for everyone, whether famous like Jenner or not. However, by now putting such a well-known face and name to the causes of transgender people could help accelerate the drive for equality, just as high-profile endorsements gave momentum to the fight to legalise gay marriage in the United States.

Barbara Warren, a psychologist and director for LGBT Health Services at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, said the following

The more people that are prominent and are influencers and can share and humanise the transgender experience, the more our social system will become more accepting.”

The legal system in the USA is still lagging, and legal rights of transgender people vary dramatically from state to state. Gender identity discrimination affects employment, public accommodations – the right to be served by businesses and institutions – the use of public restrooms and public documents.

Healthcare is also an area of concern. In most states, it is legal to deny insurance coverage for transgender-related health services, like hormonal therapy or gender reassignment surgery.

Jenner is now seen as “the best possible model for public advocacy on the issue of transgender people’s rights because he was the world’s greatest male athlete … the most male of males.”

Jenner won the Olympic decathlon in 1976, earning the title of “World’s Greatest Athlete” and the respect of generations of Americans.

For younger generations, he is known better as the patriarch of the Kardashian family after eight seasons on the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

The ABC interview included messages of support from his six biological children and he said his Kardashian stepchildren have been mostly understanding, including the wildly famous Kim.

How his transition plays out on television could be the real game-changer for the transgender community.

Barbara Warren concluded…

I think that actually has the potential for more impact than Jenner’s individual transition. People are going to see if Kim Kardashian supports her stepfather. That is going to have more of an impact than Jenner’s coming out.”

 

 

WNBA Star Angel McCoughtry Talks LGBTQ Discrimination in Sports

Over the weekend WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist Angel McCoughtry posted a message to her fans and friends via Instagram, announcing that she was in a happy relationship with a woman, her fianceé, the actress Brande Elise.

In her post, she highlighted some of the challenges she’s faced while being a lesbian athlete. McCoughtry, a forward for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream since 2009, had also played in the off-season for Istanbul’s Fenerbahce team from 2011 until February of this year. When she left the team, she cited contractual violations.

Yes we been discriminated against! We lost friends ! Family members are upset! They said i disgraced my religion! One thing I do know is that LOVE is a great feeling! My last overseas team threatened my job if I didn’t write a fake letter on social media saying my relationship was a lie. But all I know,Love is a great feeling! I understand we all judge and its in human nature, but the more I speak to God I never feel judgement from the man upstairs even tho he has all power too! He tells me to fall, learn,and grow because thats life. But to always keep my heart pure and believe totally in him. All i know love is a great feeling and GOD is Love.”

We’re glad that more and more LGBTQ identified women are choosing to come out and live in their truth.

It’s also nice to see the WNBA embracing their gay players and becoming more interactive with the lesbian community.