Caitlyn Jenner is breaking down barriers one step at a time — and others in the transgender community couldn’t be happier that she’s sharing her story. Carly Lehwald, one of the stars of ABC Family’s groundbreaking new series Becoming Us, which follows her transition from male to female, said Jenner, 65, is helping expose the public to the new normal transgender people face every day. ‘
“You’re starting to see more and more that ‘’I can do this,’ that it’s safe [to come out],” she told Us Weekly during a recent visit to our NYC offices with her son Ben Lehwald, and Ben’s mom Suzy Crawford.
However, Lehwald explained that Jenner’s journey is hers alone, and shouldn’t speak for the trans community overall. “Is [she] a realistic example? Obviously no. She’s of the 1 percent, and in the trans community she’s of the 0.1 percent. She’s got all the resources which isn’t representative, but so what?” Lehwald said. “It’s still her story, her life, and her journey. Let’s shift our attitudes and start treating people with respect.”
Sunday, June 21, marked Jenner’s first Father’s Day since she publicly shared her story with the world on the cover of Vanity Fair, and the former Olympian’s children couldn’t be more supportive. “Just because your appearance is different now doesn’t mean you were any less of a father to me my entire life,” Kendall Jenner posted on Instagram. “Happy Father’s Day to the person who raised me, and taught me everything I know, my hero.”
Becoming Us airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC Family.
