On Friday April 24, Bruce Jenner’s 20/20 interview special with Diane Sawyer aired, during which Jenner revealed his transgender identity. Since then, many reactions have been revealed in the media and, as I see it, a generation gap is beginning to show. This gap represents not only the varying levels of acceptance of Jenner’s transformation but also the levels of understanding.
Before Jenner’s televised interview, transgender issues had not been so widely discussed in such a mainstream form. That is partly why the interview has been so important to the trans community. The interview’s discussion of transgender issues has since challenged people from all generations to learn more about being transgendered as well as to think more deeply about their judgments and assumptions toward the trans community.
In the interview, Jenner told Sawyer, “For all intents and purposes, I am a woman.” He has asked that male pronouns still be used when speaking of him until the transition is complete and a further announcement has been made.
According to Oregon Live, “The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law estimates that nearly 700,000 transgender people live in the United States…yet an estimated eight percent of Americans know a transgender person.” However, that percentage has changed since 17 million people tuned in to watch Jenner’s interview.
As Slate.com states, “Many are now trying to wrap their minds around the trans experience and
Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File
understanding of gender that remain alien and challenging to people…The Jenner interview has spurred many people to start on that journey.”
Sawyer discussed Jenner’s stardom as a former Olympian and reality TV star. Jenner was awarded the gold medal for the United States in the decathlon of the 1976 Summer Olympics. He earned the title “Best athlete in the world,” and instantly became a celebrity and household name. This is how the older generation knows Jenner and first learned of his name.
However, Jenner is known by the younger generation as a reality TV star. Jenner, who was married to Kris Jenner until they divorced this year, is a part of the Kardashians’ TV show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” on the network, E!. He has become a father to the Kardashian children, including Kim Kardashian. Many have watched the series since 2007 and have been able to see Jenner’s transition.
Since the interview, many people in the media have been voicing their opinions, judgments and even confusions. I have noticed many in the younger generation seem to be understanding the transition and what it truly means to be transgender much better than the older generation. Celebrities like Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus tweeted their approval of Jenner’s transition and thanked the network and Sawyer for helping bring the transgender transition into mainstream media. Singer Demi Lovato also dedicated her song “Warrior” to Jenner.
Other celebrities have voiced their confusion regarding Jenner’s choice to transition to a female at 65-years-old.
In comments to Hip Hollywood, comedian Steve Harvey voiced his reaction when he said, “Everybody says it’s the bravest thing they’ve seen, that’s the politically correct thing to say. I can’t wrap my mind around it at all, zero. I have no concept of what that means. Nothing negative, he has every right to live his life the way he wants to, but I can’t come in the house and make that announcement to my wife, to my children.”
There is clearly a generational gap in regards to the reactions elicited by Jenner’s televised interview. I believe this gap is caused by the two different identities Jenner has, and I’m not referring to male or female. Jenner is known for being two things: the older generation associates Jenner with his incredible athletic abilities and the younger generation associates Jenner with the Kardashians.
Being an Olympic gold medalist for the decathlon is a masculine feat. He was advertised as the world’s best athlete, as being strong and “macho.” Separately, Jenner is known as being a part of the Kardashian clan who is all about glam, fashion and everything feminine. The different generations know Jenner for different things. In addition, the younger generation has been introduced to the idea of being transgender much sooner more often than the older generation. It has proven to be difficult for the older generation to accept Jenner as openly as the younger generation.
I believe that these varying opinions toward Jenner can be blamed — at least partly — on the generational gap that exists in America’s culture and the different ways these generations view Jenner and the trans community as a whole. The next step in this process is to close that generational gap between opinions and continue talking about the trans community in the mainstream media in order to help more people become comfortable and educated. Thankfully, Jenner’s interview has started this process.
Taylor Howe can be contacted at thowe@kscequinox.com
