In an interview with Vanity Fair, Caitlyn told the magazine that choosing a new name was a tough job and she needed to watch the Miss America pageant to get some references.
- Jun 3, 2015
AceShowbiz - Choosing a new name was not an easy matter for Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner. The 65-year-old star told Vanity Fair that she needed to watch the Miss America pageant to get some inspiration.
"It's one of the hardest things in life - choosing your own name," Caityln said. She began her attempt to look for a new name over two years ago. She said that she watched the pageant and listened to how their names called. She liked Heather and Cathy, but hadn't decided one name for herself. It was her assistant who suggested Caitlyn and she responded, "I love that name, too!"
The next thing she needed to do was deciding the spelling of that name. She had a hard time to decide whether to use "k" or "c" for the initial letter, given the "k" trademark on the names of the Jenner-Kardashian family members. However, she found that it was a good moment to break the tradition and decided to use "c" instead of "k."
Following Caitlyn's debut, transgender actress Laverne Cox wrote on Tumblr about the progress trans folks had made. Laverne was grateful for the love and support Caitlyn was receiving. The 31-year-old actress gushed over Caitlyn as she said, "Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul."
While celebrating Caitlyn's debut, Laverne also emphasized that both of them didn't really embody the beauty standard of all trans folks. "I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people," so she wrote on Tumblr. "This is why we need diverse media representstions of trans folks to multiply trans narratives in the media and depict our beautiful diversities." The "Orange Is the New Black" star hoped that both of them could shift public policies to fully support the lives and well being of all trans folk. "The struggle continues...," she concluded her lengthy note.
Caitlyn's bravery has inspired many people around the world. On the same day as her debut on Vanity Fair's cover, ESPN announced that she would be presented with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 ESPYS presented by Capital One. In addition to her past success as Olympic athlete, ESPN was impressed by her "strength of character [which] shone through this past April when he sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer to come out as a transgender woman."
Arthur Ashe's daughter, Camera Ashe, also showed her support to Caitlyn. She said, "It takes a true warrior to conquer such a challenge and Caitlyn's bravery is beyond inspirational. She is the epitome courage. I cannot think of anyone more deserving to receive this award."
