Caitlyn Jenner

Bruce Jenner is one of the greatest athletes of all time. In 1976 he won the Olympic gold medal in the Decathlon and was declared the world's greatest athlete.

In 2015, Bruce Jenner came out as transgender and changed his name to Caitlyn Jenner.

What is being transgender about?

It means that although you are born a man, deep down inside you identify more with being a woman. (Or vice-versa. Of course.)

It's like me. I love women. I love the beautiful feminine ideals. I love the idea of sisterhood.

The difference between me and Caitlyn Jenner is that I also identify with being the outsider looking in.

Being the man among women. Being the human among trees.

That is why I was not born a Tree.

I love trees. I would love to be a tree. But I love more being a human among trees.

And I identify with women in the same way. It's not about being attracted to women. I also love the feminine ideals. Women are my heroes. I pray to God as Sita, for she is the God that I see in the women I admire. I would love to be a woman. But I love even more being a man among women. Just like I would love to be a tree. But I love more being a man among trees.

But what if all your greatest secret heroes are women, you love and identify with the feminine values, and you don't like being the outsider?

You can just accept it. You can just accept it that you are a man among women. Or you can decide that, deep down inside, you are a woman.

And what is wrong with that?

Why should our body determine who we are?

Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.

If we feel like we would really rather be a woman, that we really identify more with being a woman, why should we let mere material things get in the way?

But not me.

I would love to be a woman. But I love even more being a man among women, a human among trees. I love being the outsider looking in at what I love so deeply.

I guess that is why God chose me to tell the story of classical Asia.

For I am an American writing among Asia.

I am in my element. An outsider looking in at the Asia I love.

And there is one other reason I identify with being a man. For in the ideals of Confucious and The Buddha, in the ideals of the Asia that I love, a man too can represent- and should at least respect- the feminine values I love so deeply. In classical Asia a boy is rough. A real man is gentle.

God loves you! Whoever you are!

Sincerely,

David S. Annderson