Yup, it takes a lot of courage... Those that say she is just capitalising on her celebrity are way off the mark, she is doing a great deal to shine some light on a subject that harbors more ignorance and bigotry than many others. Good on her!

Takes a lot of courage but will also yield a LOT of $$ on her documentary, etc! Caitlin has learned well about marketing oneself and one's "brand" from the Kardashians. Her first post has already broken records on twitter.

I don't like the way they shove these issues in our face. I really don't care what he does. Peace

I gotta say that I think she looks gorgeous - wow. Those legs! The legs of a world class athlete still looking strong and fine at the age of 65. However, it has to be difficult for his two young teenage girls to see that on the cover - I mean, really - was a bustier necessary? Sure, girlie, girlie, but.... THAT said, those two girls and the rest of the K Klan never minded publicity before, so let them deal with this.

Obviously though, a lot of air-brushing going on and a ton of make-up. Still, she looks really really great! Wish I could look half that good. I could not care less what people do to themselves. She has the $ to do this, and if it makes her happy, fine. I am actually glad that that snit Kris seems to be having so much trouble with all of it. Or is she just being the forever drama queen? She's a SCARY woman, that one.

Hope everyone here is doing fine. Me - okay. HCV gone but getting OLD has its own set of issues in many ways.

ha ha ha - I wrote "his" in one place - didn't mean to.

I'm concerned for her. Being a woman, and being beautiful, neither have anything to do with clothes & make up & air brush. She is at a very fragile place emotionally in this new body & new image, and getting ridiculous coverage. She made statements about the challenges of being a woman is appearances. No, no, women are trying to dispel that plastic Barbie role model. We've been fighting for a century to be equally treated.
There could be a big crash in her future. Some think she is using the media but I think she is being exploited by everyone.

I agree Bob and others and it's been the decade of the transgender community for a few years now. There will be a lot more of it to come. Makes the gay and lesbian community seem so boring :-P

Anyway, it's their turn and I'm very happy for their community. There, of course, will be some transphobia but that happens with everything. It's human nature. There's no stopping that or their time, which has come. Gender benders ahead. I love it personally and most are fascinated by the concepts. Gender identity is a very complex issue for certain and completely different than sexual orientation.

I actually just came across a transsexual professionally in this last week. A real pioneer who went through the complete surgical process 39 years ago! Very interesting life to say the least. This person was very much at peace with it and is significantly older than all of us here.

If you are interested in a very good movie and want to increase your understanding, Transamerica is an excellent movie. I have not seen it but heard that Transparent is very good and captivating.

Best of luck to Caitlyn. I believe her when she stated that she did not set out to be a spokesperson for this community but power to her. I think she should make millions more. That's America. Transamerica.

The lady people out of the closet will be Bisexuals I've always said. It's so easy for them to hide. ;-). Interestingly, there are bisexual, asexual, heterosexual and homosexual transsexuals in all stages of change.

Fun topic indeed. The diversity of human behavior and the human condition.

Last not lady. Peace.

Interesting that I'm commenting on this as my first post in this group. I'm through my 2nd week of Viekira Pak taking it Ribavarin.

As to this subject. I will begin with full disclosure: I am a transgender woman. My view on Caitlyn Jenner has been ambivalent. While I applaud her for living her life unapologetically and in her own truth. Her being public with her transition will do and is pushing the narratives for a trans community who has been excluded for a long time.

My ambivalence comes because while I find a few things that I can relate to about her story. Her life of privilege comes to fore because of the fact that she is famous and rich. It's a very different narrative for most trans women who can't afford care, get housing, get appropriate medical care and face discrimination when it comes to finding relevant employment.

So yes I have lot to say about this subject. I am an activist for the trans community and I am open for questions on gender identity. I'm glad that most of these posts were positive. What the trans community and as a trans person what we need are allies. The only way to gain allies is to ask people to be allies for our community otherwise we will continue to lie in the shadows of society.

Now on to questions about this TREATMENT! The side effects are driving me crazy!!!

with love

Thanks, dw. Its a long hard heart breaking painful lonely road for most people. Less than 1% have the $$$$$ or support to share the kind of experience celebs have. To me, its a fake picture. Its wonderful to be able to get it out there& break down prejudice & fear & intolerance, that is the good part, but it is not dispelling ignorance because Cait's life is far removed from the average person.

Welcome drumwoman, and yes, what an interesting thread for your first post here. Thank you for sharing a small piece of your story with us. I know that all of what you say is true. . . and Trissa too! I hope that you feel comfortable in sharing what you want and need to. I went through interferon and riba tx for 32 weeks and found this group, which helped me get through it. It was a really awful experience but I cleared and life has been good again. It will be for you as well.

Welcome to you and best of luck. :-)

I'm very happy for the Transgender community. Caitlyn is one of many vehicles for it. Certainly not the first though and far from the last. Analogous to Magic Johnson with HIV in 'some' respects. He helped to really get awareness out to the public at large about that epidemic yet most did not have his resources or celebrity status either.

This community is coming out full force though and it's the perfect time. This will be a very unique movement in society that I certainly welcome and applaud. I find human nature and diversity very fascinating.

Yes it took courage. Just don't use the word heroic in the same sentence and then have the audacity to place said heroics above that of our military and wounded warriors.

I couldn't even imagine having to face "gender confirmation" surgery as it's being referred to now and having been born into that situation. That has to be up near the top in major human crucibles we can go through. I don't think heroic is the correct term but it's definitely a helluva experience and personal journey. I can't relate to it completely or totally, that's not possible. I do empathize with and appreciate the magnitude of social issues that abound for the transgender community.

We all have to and get to live our own lives. I believe one needs to walk in their shoes (work boots, dress shoes, tennies or stilettos) to truly understand it.

I was very interested in the psychology behind his/her decision, so I was reading about others' journeys when I came across one of Buck Angel. OMG...anyone familiar with him/her? He's a porn star and although he's transitioned "chemically," he still has a vagina. It's the weirdest story I've read, and somewhat disturbing.

America LOVES celebrity so this will likely raise awareness and acceptance. But that being said, I abhor that whole family...a bunch of vacuous media whores. She certainly does NOT represent the transgender community (google suicide rates among trans teens or the percent of trans people who end up working as prostitutes - the numbers are truly staggering). I find the whole carefully crafted media circus she created problematic to say the least.. I wish Vanity Fair had gone with someone like Laverne Cox but the objective was to sell magazines and they certainly attained their goal.