First, a bit of demystification is in order.
- Bruce Jenner said he identifies as a woman and wishes to be called Caitlyn.
- The most reliable information about the underlying reasons is possessed solely by Caitlyn and will be shared by her at her discretion.
Those are the only actual facts about the situation. The
rest is purely hearsay, conjecture and external commentary.
When a story such as this one breaks, it elicits a strong
reaction from many of us. Questions about reasons, motives, truthfulness and a
host of other related subjects arise rapidly as we seek to understand what we
are being told. This is to be expected,
even encouraged. Discussions and expressions of opinions are also to be
expected, even encouraged. However, the reactions I’ve read from both
supporters and detractors have done more to shut down the conversation than
encourage it. It is this that I would like to address.
Heroes (Not the Sandwich Kind)
Much has been said about whether or not Caitlyn should be
considered a hero and opinions on both sides are strongly expressed. I would like
to point out that there are no consensus criteria which determine who is or is
not a hero. This is solely an individual determination based on the
experiences, values and personality of each individual. Some people perform
acts which resonate in deeply moving, positive ways with others and these
people are called heroes. They aren’t called heroes by everyone nor is there
any requirement that they be, and this is important to note. Each individual
retains the right to choose their own heroes at their own discretion.
If you wish to state your opinion for or against and even suggest criteria by which to determine the worthiness of an individual of that status, then I encourage you
to please do so. Only do so knowing that no one is under any sort of mandatory obligation
to agree with you regardless of which position you take or which source of
authority you may cite. If you claim otherwise, then be prepared to defend that
claim because the burden of proof is on you.
Freudian Slips
The language of psychology is prevalent in popular culture
and most people have a passing familiarity with some psychological theory. The
danger is that people will take that partial understanding and attempt to apply
it to situations which they are glaringly unqualified to assess in such terms.
Many people act as self-proclaimed behavioral experts and make liberal misuse
of theoretical constructs and clinical terminology. This is happening with the
story of Caitlyn.
We understand ourselves and our own psychological workings
fairly well, so we assume we can extend that understanding to others. Many
times it works because humans across all cultural lines are much more alike
than we are different. However, our understanding of even ourselves is neither
exhaustive nor infallible. To speak as if our understanding of another person
is authoritative and absolute is as unwise and ineffective as it is
hypocritical and insulting. By all means, form your own opinion and freely
discuss it. Debate it vigorously if you’re so inclined. Only do so knowing that
your knowledge of the situation is extremely limited and the accuracy of your
knowledge is largely undetermined. Hold your opinion firmly, but also hold it
open to revision.
I have a master’s degree in counseling and a copy of the
DSM-V on my bookshelf, yet I wouldn’t dream of making a diagnosis of Caitlyn
simply because I don’t have enough information to do so. And neither does
anyone else outside of Caitlyn and those with whom Caitlyn has shared clinically
significant information. Rather than serving as a case study or cultural
commentary, I think this situation better serves as a catalyst for
self-discovery and a springboard for social examination. Emotions are a strong
component of our experiences as humans. Our thoughts have emotional components
to them. It’s what we are. When situations arise which evoke strong emotional
reactions, they provide us with opportunities to examine ourselves and
understand the reasons underlying our reactions. Instead of bemoaning what
Caitlyn’s story says about the culture or the world, consider what your
reaction to Caitlyn’s story says about you.
