Bruce and/or Caitlyn Jenner: The Emilee Danielson perspective

Hey folks!

So, when the hoopla about Bruce Jenner becoming a woman rent the air and social media, I kept quiet. Not because I didn’t have an opinion, but because every dissenting voice was tagged everything from homophobic to even terrorist, and I knew I wouldn’t be patient with anyone who called me any of the above.

Another reason was because I felt like people on either side of the divide (for or against transsexuality) were too ‘violent’ in the reasoning/arguments; this is one major problem I have with the feminist struggle debate in Nigeria but that’s for another day.

I didn’t bother about the effect on his family (he’s been married to women thrice), his children. I must admit I wondered about all the laurels he had won as a man, would they now be called to question because he had ‘transitioned’ to a woman? I also wondered if she would have periods, etc.

Funny as they were, I largely ignored the memes and jokes that were born out of his public announcement, and the subsequent ‘I am Cait’ TV show. Couldn’t be bothered, not my money, not my body.

What really irked me however were the countless awards Bruce, now Caitlyn Jenner, started receiving left, right, and center. Especially the Arthur Ashe Courage award, and I don’t apologise for not being moved by her speech either. To be honest, I questioned the courage in being wealthy enough to alter one’s body, make a TV show out of it, and ride the crest of popularity after achieving international acclaim as a man, but again I kept quiet and soon resigned myself to shaking my head each time a reference to her ‘strength as a woman’ was made. SMH.

Somehow, I stumbled upon this piece by Emilee Danielson, a grandmother based in Minnesota, USA, and what she had to say about Caitlyn saying severally about ‘identifying with women’. And I agreed with her totally. Like, is there any word more intense than ‘totally’? Apply it to the way I agree with this granny.

And so, I thought to share!

Interestingly, from the time Mrs Danielson put the post up, her page has gotten reported to Facebook for nudity (this woman is a Christian, and a radio presenter), and so Facebook has taken it down quite a number of times. According to her, she’s verified it like the 7th time already, has reported to Facebook that she is being bullied (online) and she still knows more people who were offended by the post will report her page for everything false so it’s taken down again. But she stands by her truth.

I stand with her today. Thank you Emilee Danielson, for expressing so succinctly, everything I had in my mind.

 

Another one bites the dust…

Cory Monteith. Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston. What two things do these names have in common? Fame/wealth. Undisputed access to tons and tons of money, acclaim, all that good stuff.

The second thing is illicit drugs/death. Whatever it is they snorted, smoked, injected or inhaled, it led to their death, and very early too. Cory Monteith was 31, Michael Jackson was 50. Talk about lives being cut short.

Exactly one week ago, when I heard Philip Seymour Hoffman had been found dead on the 2nd of February with a needle still stuck in his arm and heroin (a special type called ‘Ace of Spades’) in packets around him, I was sad, then angry, then sad, and angry all over again.

Sad – he died young, he was just 46. He was very popular too, an Oscar award winner, and recently starred in Hunger Games (which by the way I have never watched and don’t think I will ever see because I don’t like fight fight).

Angry – are there not enough examples to prove that drugs are a sure way to die early?

Sad – heartbroken for his family, his wife/partner and their three young children. His parents, and the stigma of being related to the person ‘who died with a needle in his arm’.

Angry – what on earth made him go back to drugs after 23 years of being drug free? Whatever could have entered him all over again? They say his drugs could have been laced with something else. Ok, but why take them in the first place? Why?

I’m sure I could go the sad and angry route a few more times, but I won’t.

Psychologists say anything you do for 30 days becomes a habit – this man had been drug free for at least 8280 days! Then according to a report I read, he started abusing prescription pills, graduated to heroin, and then on to this substance that took his life.

I chatted with someone recently, and he told me the amount of thanks and gratitude he got because he gave him a $5 tip. 5 dollars. Reports say just weeks ago the now late Seymour withdrew $1200 from an ATM to pay for these drugs. $1200 on drugs when the next man is almost throwing a party because he was gifted 5 bucks.

Here’s another reason why I am angry – a child is attracted by the flickering light of a candle, and they want to touch it. Most times we let them because we know once it hurts them that first time, they most likely will not go back to it again. ‘Most likely’ because children have the attention span of a goldfish! Bless them.

23 years after, did he forget? Did he become so wealthy that he felt that the drugs would ‘fear/respect his money’ and not harm him? What was he thinking? The Bible says that the things that are written are unto us for examples.

Just like I wrote the ‘learn from it, don’t be it‘ post when Cory Monteith died, I’m writing again  – say NO to drugs. Say No, and mean it so much that whoever asked you before will be convinced you are not interested. You shouldn’t even be friends with such people in the first place!

RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman.

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