One thing the Bruce Jenner interview accomplished for the transgender community that we can point to as perhaps most important was bringing our plight to the forefront of local awareness.
Across the nation local news media determined that they needed to suplement the interview with local interest.
And I can't speak for anyone else, but I've had about a dozen people from past communities in which I have lived ask to friend me on Facebook...mostly people I've either forgotten or never knew in the first place.
In Hawaii they learned about Maddalynn Ashton.
I never shared that with anyone because I'm from Waianae. It can be very violent.
--Ashton
Maddalynn works for an organization which provides services for people who are HIV+.
When you go out to the community you hear guys saying 'mahu' and 'fag' but I didn't let that bother me or stop me from doing what I needed to do.
In Cleveland
the community got introduced to Zoe Renee Lapin.
What's the biggest fear?
Knowing every time I walk out of the door, I might not make it back home.
--Lapin
Zoe is a DJ in the nighttime hours and has a showing of
her photography on exhibit at Waterloo Gallery. She also volunteers at Cleveland's LGBT Center.
It’s become a national teachable moment.
--Mara Keisling, National Center for Transgender Equality
In Minnesota
Andrea Jenkins was highlighted, but that probably had more to do with the mayor singling her out for mention in the State of the City address.
Jenkins is curator of the Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota.
In the Bay Area the local ABC station zeroed in on Dr. Marci Bowers.
In Louisville the local ABC station interviewed Tess Graham, 64 and Loren, 28
In Houston, Ann Elder spoke about her transgender son.
The happiest day of my child's life is the day he went to Target and bought millions of pairs of camouflage, Batman, Superman, cars, trucks, anything that was boy underwear, and he modeled them for me. He was so happy and beaming so intensely that I realized in that moment that the entire time I have known this child, he has been stifling himself.
--Elder
Other people are not kind toward the Elders.
They looked at us as highly indulgent, neglectful parents who were helping our kid be mentally ill.
--Elder
The transgender community can feel isolated because they're not understood. They don't feel comfortable enough to tell people their truth and talk about themselves because they don't know what that other person's reaction to them will be. So what happens is over 40 percent of transgender population attempts suicide.
--Lou Weaver, transgender outreach specialist
In Pittsburgh
Chance Thomas was interviewed.
Thomas is a veteran. Before he transitioned he served two tours as a military police officer in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.
Trans folks are scared of everything. We’re scared of bathrooms. Like, that’s a basic human need.
--Chance Thomas
Why we’re more obsessed with whether Chaz has had surgery or Bruce is wearing a dress and we’re not paying attention to how many lives we’re losing because there are no resources.
--Thomas>
The Transgender community also deals with issues like homicides, sexual assaults, and healthcare, specifically for hormonal and surgical changes. Thomas hopes the conversation about those issues will be brought to the forefront, too.