If there were medals for acceptance speeches, Caitlyn Jenner would have won the gold at the ESPY Awards tonight. In her first major public appearance since revealing herself to the world, the Olympian-turned reality star-turned transgender activist delivered an absolutely impeccable speech that included a little humor and a lot of heart.
Even before she opened her mouth, it was obvious the audience was on her side. Kylie Jenner posted a pic that showed Caitlyn's children (as well as many of her stepchildren and members of her extended family) having quite a good time.
It
seems that perhaps the coordinated black ensembles were meant as a foil
to Caitlyn's attire — an elegant Versace white gown. After a short
movie recounted her athletic glory days as Bruce, Caitlyn received a
standing ovation as she headed for the stage.
"Wow
— I have to talk after that? Thank you so much. It is so wonderful to
be here tonight," she began. "Now the last few months have been a
whirlwind of so many different experiences and emotions, but to tell you
the truth, it seems like every time I turn around in life, I'm putting
myself in these high-pressure situations: competing in the games,
raising a family... but I've never felt more pressure than ever have
felt in my life than over the last couple of months. Picking out this
outfit, OK girls, I get it: You've got to get the shoes, the hair, the
makeup. The whole process, it's exhausting — and next, the Fashion Police! Please be kind on me, I'm new at this!" (We're pretty sure she's going to get rave reviews for her styling.)
Even
before she opened her mouth, it was obvious the audience was on her
side. Kylie Jenner posted a pic that showed Caitlyn's children (as well
as many of her stepchildren and members of her extended family) having
quite a good time.
"All black had to change to match," Kylie captioned the snap.
Things
then turned more serious, as she highlighted the struggles trans people
face. "All across this country right now, all across the world, at this
very moment, there are young people coming to terms with being
transgender. They're learning that they're different and they're trying
to figure out how to handle that on top of every other problem that a
teenager has. They're getting bullied. They've getting beaten up.
They're getting murdered. And they're committing suicide." Still,
though, Caitlyn thinks there is hope.
"There
have been so many who have traveled this road before me, from Renee
Richards, to Chaz Bono to Laverne Cox, and many others, Janet Mock,
who's here tonight," she said. ""I also want to acknowledge all of the
young trans-athletes who are out there, given the chances to play sports
as who they really are. Trans people deserve something vital. They
deserve your respect. And from that respect, comes a more compassionate
community, a more empathetic society and a better world for all of us.”
"After quickly thanking Diane Sawyer for doing such a great job telling her story for the first time, Caitlyn moved on to the most heartwarming moment in her speech.
"Here
comes the tough part," she said, visibly tearing up. "I'd like to thank
my family. The biggest fear I've had always in coming out is that I
never wanted to hurt anyone else, most of all, my family and my kids. I
always wanted my children to be so proud of their dad for what he was
able to accomplish in his life."
Judging
from the tears welling in several of her children's eyes, it's safe to
see she has succeeded at this goal. "You guys have given so much back to
me. You've given me so much support. I'm so, so grateful to have you
all in my life. Thank you."
Kendall, Khloe, and Kylie (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
And then, last, but not least, she addressed her mother, Esther.
"My
mom, who just a little over a week ago had to have surgery — I didn't
think she was going to make it, but she is here with me tonight to share
this night. Now, you know, I always thought that I got my courage and
my determination from my dad," Caitlyn mused, "but now I'm realizing
now, Mom, I think I got all those qualities from you. Love you very
much. I'm so glad you're here to share this with me."
Caitlyn wrapped up by circling back to the place this story all began:
with sports. "You know it is an honor to have the word courage
associated with my life, but on this night another word comes to mind,
and that is fortunate. I owe a lot to sports. It showed me the world. It
has given me an identity. If someone wanted to bully me, well, you know
what? I was the MVP of the football team that just wasn't going to be a
problem. And the same thing goes tonight."
Addressing
her critics head-on, she explained, "If you want to call me names, make
jokes, doubt my intentions, go ahead, because the reality is, I can
take it. But the reality is, for thousands of kids out there coming to
terms with being true to who they are, they shouldn't have to take it.
So for the people out there wondering what this is all about, whether
it's about courage or controversy or publicity — well, I'll tell you
what it's about: It's about what happens from here. It's not just about
one person. It's about thousands of people. It's not just about me. It's
about all of us accepting one another. We're all different. That's not a
bad thing. That's a good thing. And while it may not be easy to get
past the things that you do not always understand, I want to prove that
it is absolutely possible if we only do it together."
And just like that, Caitlyn Jenner made history... again.
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