One week after TV star and Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner asked members of the transgender community if she was “doing it right,” she returned to her blog to answer some of the numerous questions she’s received about her transition.
In a Monday post to address fan feedback, Jenner started by sharing a comment she’d received from a transgender woman who went by the name of Dawn R.
“I was touched by your question, ‘Am I doing it right?’ I felt an overwhelming need to respond,” Dawn wrote. “The best thing you can do for the rest of the trans community is to *be* Caitlin. Be who you really are. Be unashamed, honest, and brave, as you have been thus far. Be Caitlin. You’re doing a wonderful job so far, and I have every confidence you will continue to be so in the future. Trust yourself. Hold your head high, and be amazing.”
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Acknowledging that this was “one of the many notes that I’ve received that has a smart, positive outlook,” Jenner seemed particularly affected by this response. “What a powerful message for all walks of life,” she wrote. “Let us all trust ourselves, hold our heads up high, and be amazing.”
According to her blog, the submission was one of many routed to Jenner, whose website “crashed” due to volume. “Even though I can’t get back to each and every one of you, I want you to know that I’m reading your kind words and that they mean the world to me,” she wrote.
Jenner, who first rose to fame as Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner and won the decathlon gold medal at the 1976 games in Montréal, found a new fan base in 2007 as a star of the reality-TV series, “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” She publicly revealed her new identity through a June 1 Vanity Fair cover story.
According to Jenner’s most recent blog post, fans had also inquired about other aspects of her transition.
Addressing a query about a defining moment that prompted Jenner to announce she’s transgender, she replied that she needed time to feel comfortable revealing her “true identity” to the world.
“I was growing up in a very different time and I had no information,” she wrote. “Meanwhile, I had all of my diversions — sports…this…that…married…family — but after 65 years, here I was right back with the same problems that I had when I was 10 years old and I had to finally do something about that.”
Asked what part of her transition has been her favorite, Jenner noted, “Just being able to be myself.” She added that she recently took a “liberating” five-day trip with new friends and “packed for the first time — as just Caitlyn, nobody else — which is the first time I’ve ever done that.”
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A third question asked Jenner to name the biggest surprise and biggest disappointment with regard to her transition. “As I mentioned before, it’s been both eye opening and difficult to see firsthand what so many members of the trans community have had to go through just to be themselves,” she replied. “I hope to help raise awareness of these hardships so that it becomes a less painful process going forward.”
She added, “That said, the future looks bright. I knew that my transition would get some response, but I certainly never expected all of this. It’s honestly been incredibly positive.”
Before Jenner’s new TV series, “I Am Cait,” premieres on E! on July 26, she’ll be honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award during Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards ceremony.
This article first appeared on TODAY.com.
