blishes that she wants her series to focus on the increased acceptance of transgender people. She says, “People don’t understand looking in the mirror, and nothing seems right, putting on clothes that you just don’t really identify with. This is about getting to be who you really are” (Greco “Watch a New Promo for Caitlyn Jenner’s Docuseries”) Although most reality TV shows are viewed as superficial, I Am Cait serves to educate. The programming documents Jenner’s gender transition, her changing relationships, and her adaptation to a new life as a female. The TV show invites the public into Jenner’s world, and informs viewers about the challenges of being transgender that many cisgender people may overlook. For example, I Am Cait often shows
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Caitlyn Jenner’s public transition has spurred more scientific research on gender nonconforming people. Very recently, transgender healthcare has become a prominent issue among pediatrics and the public. This can be attributed in part to attention of gender nonconformity in society from Caitlyn Jenner and I Am Cait. Gender nonconformity was historically regarded as a “mental pathology” by the psychiatric community. Gender identity disorder was first identified in the 1920s. This psychiatric diagnosis was present in the third edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published in 1980. In the DSM-5, published in 2013, the diagnosis was altered to gender dysphoria. Treating gender nonconformity as a disease does not reflect the fact that many psychiatrists believe it is not an illness that can be cured. Jenner received an amazing amount of media attention following her decision to transition, ensuing a period of increasing acceptance. Thus, people questioned the validity of past studies of gender nonconformity. In 2011 it was estimated that one million American adults (or 0.3% of the population) identified as transgender. Now mental health care professionals are speculating that these numbers could truly be much higher (Beal “Gender Nonconforming Children”). There is more support for transgender people, in the forms of clinics and advocacy groups. Jenner and other trans icons have helped advance this process, by providing an example and influential voice for the
Caitlyn Jenner’s public transition has spurred more scientific research on gender nonconforming people. Very recently, transgender healthcare has become a prominent issue among pediatrics and the public. This can be attributed in part to attention of gender nonconformity in society from Caitlyn Jenner and I Am Cait. Gender nonconformity was historically regarded as a “mental pathology” by the psychiatric community. Gender identity disorder was first identified in the 1920s. This psychiatric diagnosis was present in the third edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published in 1980. In the DSM-5, published in 2013, the diagnosis was altered to gender dysphoria. Treating gender nonconformity as a disease does not reflect the fact that many psychiatrists believe it is not an illness that can be cured. Jenner received an amazing amount of media attention following her decision to transition, ensuing a period of increasing acceptance. Thus, people questioned the validity of past studies of gender nonconformity. In 2011 it was estimated that one million American adults (or 0.3% of the population) identified as transgender. Now mental health care professionals are speculating that these numbers could truly be much higher (Beal “Gender Nonconforming Children”). There is more support for transgender people, in the forms of clinics and advocacy groups. Jenner and other trans icons have helped advance this process, by providing an example and influential voice for the