When a group of children were asked to describe a picture of Caitlyn Jenner taken recently by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair, many of them said she looked happy and confident. At that point, they weren't yet aware of Caitlyn's transition – but they managed to pick up on how good she feels to be living as her most authentic self. When it was explained that Caitlyn is a transgender woman, the kids immediately began referring to her with female pronouns. One boy spoke up with the classic, "It's important for you to be yourself, because if you're not yourself then who are you?" The kids had very few preconceived notions or judgements about transgender people, and their reactions were extremely positive and supportive.
The kids were shown samples of the negative comments Caitlyn has received about her gender identity, and they reacted with disgust to those messages. They said, "I think they're just scared of change, and they just want everything to stay the same because they just don't know how to handle it." The kids used the words "scared" and "afraid" often when trying to find a motive behind the negative responses.
The video is a heartwarming testament to the empathy of children and a generation of kids growing up knowing about and supporting and accepting the LGBT community. It's exciting to see young people with such open hearts and minds.
GLAAD previously responded to Vanity Fair’s July 2015 cover, featuring Caitlyn Jenner.
“By sharing her journey with the world, Caitlyn Jenner is accelerating acceptance of transgender people everywhere and reminds us all how important it is to live as your most authentic self,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
"For a transgender person to step into the world as his or her authentic self is a moment of tremendous freedom," said Nick Adams, GLAAD's Director of Programs, Transgender Media. "The world can now see what Caitlyn Jenner has always known, that she is - and always has been - a woman."
GLAAD also released an updated tip sheet for journalists covering Jenner and transgender issues. That tip sheet is here.