Sympathizing With The Kardashians?

I have to admit that I sometimes try to keep up with the Kardashians, mostly out of morbid curiosity much like watching a train wreck.  I can't say I'm particularly a fan, but I do derive a certain entertainment value from the show on occasion, especially if there's nothing else worthwhile on TV at the time.  I know this admission will cast me in a more negative light with some of my family, friends and acquaintances, but this is an open and honest forum where I pour out some of my innermost thoughts and feelings about many things.  As much as I find most of the escapades ridiculous, the recent revelations about Bruce Jenner caught my attention and for the first time I found myself in complete sympathy for him and for his family as they deal with his process of transformation and becoming the woman he has hidden and run from for so long.  It seems finally the saga has a storyline that is worth following and I have to say that I'm in complete support of what Bruce is going through.  I'm not transgendered myself, but as a gay man who was born and raised in circumstances that required at least a certain amount of hiding and fighting against who I was as a person, not feeling comfortable in my own skin, I can truly relate to a lot of what he revealed in his interview with Diane Sawyer.  I know that there are countless millions who are shocked and cannot understand how such things happen or that they even exist.  It is perhaps because of that fact that I believe Bruce making the decision to share his story publicly, as if he could have done it any other way given his celebrity status, will actually shed some light and provide some level of understanding and acceptance of the transgendered community.  It will not happen overnight for sure.  We as Americans are still dealing with tolerance of the gay and lesbian communities, at least to a certain extent, so it is unlikely that transgender people will suddenly just be accepted as a norm in society as a whole anytime soon.  I'm sure based on watching the interview that Bruce has no wish to be the poster man/woman for the transgendered, but given his status as a public figure I think he really has no other choice.  Perhaps it will bring some level of education and understanding to those who either don't know anything about or are afraid of it.

For what it's worth, my personal wish and hope for this whole public spectacle is that people will be able to relate in some way since I think everyone has experienced some level of being different or wanting to be accepted and fit in.  I suppose it's a tale as old as time itself.  We are all different, whether it be race, creed, color, shape, size, religion, orientation or gender identity just to name a very few things.  The Breakfast Club pointed to the various cliques in school like the jocks, nerds, weirdos, princesses, etc.  We all just ultimately want to be who we are and be accepted and appreciated for it.  Yes, I know it's a utopian wish that will probably never be totally realized, but I do believe we can continuously work toward that goal.  Even our national founding documents don't promise happiness, but they do promise the pursuit of it.  Everyone has their own truth for what happiness means to them and should be able, without judgement and persecution, to pursue the attainment of it.  The Kardashians are loved and hated by many and for various reasons.  I've admitted that I do sometimes watch just to derive some mindless entertainment.  Regardless of how people feel about their lives, the TV programs, or their unfounded fame, Bruce was right when he said that through all the years of doing the show he was the one who had the real story.  Now he's come to the point in his life that he feels he must transition to the woman inside him to be truly happy, and I cannot help but be happy for him.  Who would have thought that the background figure of the family, the whipping boy with the bygone name recognition, would emerge as a role model for progressive social change and tolerance.  The one thing that took me by surprise, albeit giving me some hope, is that he identifies as a conservative Republican.  I'm not sure why that should surprise me so much but, given what he has been and continues to go through, that crowd doesn't strike me as the first group from which he will find acceptance.  Perhaps I'm wrong.  Maybe there are many Republicans who hold conservative views on finance and foreign policy without maintaining oppressive viewpoints on social issues.  No matter what, I look forward to following his/her story as it continues to unfold.  Here's to Bruce for manning up, or I should say womaning up!  Good for him!  You go girl!