Bruce Jenner has finally been heard from

In the DSM IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it was defined as Gender Identity Disorder.  In the DSM V it is now known as Gender Dysphoria.  What makes it so much different from every other disorder listed in this gigantic collection of mental disorders is that it must be self-diagnosed.  Bruce Jenner has diagnosed himself as Gender Dysphoric, which is now known as being transgendered.  He identifies himself as a woman (we'll go with male pronouns since that is how he asked to be described in the Diane Sawyer special) and says that he is one for all intents and purposes.

It is an incredibly brave act to do what he has done.  No one as "famous" as Bruce Jenner has ever done this before.  Certainly not in the age of modern media, where every cellphone is still photo camera, video camera and sound recorder.  Jan Morris made her transition beginning in 1964, having the sexual reassignment surgery eight years later.  At the time she was a noted travel writer, who wrote under the male birth-name assigned when she was born, James Morris.  The reaction to her decision to transition was nowhere near as kind as most of the reaction to Bruce Jenner's transition has been.

I fully support the right of Bruce Jenner and anyone else to live their own live under their own terms.  I will admit to being confused about a couple of things.  One is that Bruce made it clear tonight that his gender identity is female and his gender preference is heterosexual.  Which stopped making sense when he made it clear he is physically attracted exclusively to females.  If Bruce is female and only attracted to females, how can that be described as heterosexual?

More importantly, is Bruce Jenner simply a fame whore, as he was labeled by talk-show icon Wendy Williams earlier this week?  I don't think so, but there is a simple way to prove that is not the case.  Bruce should donate most (if not all) of the compensation he is getting for the docuseries on the E! network to charity.  If his motives are pure and not about earning money and fame, this would prove that to be the truth.

It seems the negative response to the interview and what Bruce Jenner is doing comes from people who believe that the entire LGBT community is "wrong" somehow.  Intolerance and ignorance have no limits. I wish Bruce Jenner well on the journey that took another step forward with the announcement he made tonight.  Good luck.

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