Caitlyn Jenner was given the honor of receiving the Arthur Ashe Award for courage despite the displeasure of the general public.
Over the summer, Caitlyn Jenner, formally known as Bruce, announced that she is transgender. Jenner later went through a series of gender reassignment surgeries to fully transition from man to woman.
Other nominees for the Arthur Ashe Award included Lauren Hill and Noah Galloway. Hill is a 19-year-old basketball player from Indiana battling an inoperable brain tumor that claimed her life. Galloway is a double amputee Army veteran from Alabama who went on to compete on “Dancing With The Stars.”
The legacy of Arthur Ashe lives on through those who choose to embody his way of life.
Recipients show strength when adversity stares them in the face and the courage to stand up for what they believe.
Few people saw these qualities in Jenner.
43 students participated in a survey that asked them for their opinion about Jenner being honored with the award.
60 percent of those surveyed said Jenner was not a worthy recipient for the award. When asked which of the other two nominees was more deserving of the award 50 percent voted for Hill while 41 percent voted for Galloway.
“I believe there could be a more deserving candidate than Jenner,” Nick Vivian, sophomore early and special Education major, said.
The struggles for the transgender community have existed for years, yet Jenner has essentially become the spokesperson for this community.
However, she became this icon due to her involvement in popular social media.
She had the access to major financial and moral support from her family to go on with her sex- change operation, which is not always obtained by many of the transgender community.
“Even though Caitlyn Jenner did show courage through the transitions she made, there are people who struggle with trans-sexuality and are denied and thrown out for who they are,” Paige Wagner, sophomore graphic design major, said.
“They are not even recognized for their courage.” Rita Alcaraz, sophomore criminology and sociology major, had a similar opinion.
“I understand that going through the gender reassignment takes courage but there were more deserving candidates,” Alcatraz said. “Growing up as a Catholic, I have the mentality that a boy should be a boy and a girl should be a girl but nowadays one has to be supportive because it could lead to someone’s mental health becoming unstable.”
Jenner gave a moving acceptance speech thanking everyone from her mom to her kids for supporting her through her journey. She went on to talk about transgender teenagers she had the privilege of meeting who, unfortunately, had either been killed or committed suicide.
Transgender individuals are at a much higher risk of committing suicide than those who are not. They are also at a higher risk for sexual assault.
Jenner plans on using her fame as a way to advocate and be a voice for the transgender community. She plans on raising awareness about the injustices faced by transgender people and how they can be solved. Her journey as a woman and advocacy for the transgender community is being documented on E! called, “I Am Cait.”
