I spend probably a lot less time online than many of my readers, but I’ve seen plenty of posts lately about Caitlyn Jenner. Many of the posts by individuals (as opposed to the media, which seems focused only on how she looks) have to do with her bravery in coming out as trans. Other posts are verbal eye-rolls at this, by people who seem to think the whole thing is nothing more than a ploy for attention. Quite a few go even further, insulting it, stating that there are those out there who are far more deserving of respect for their bravery. Typically, they mean soldiers.

These posters don’t seem to understand bravery, thinking there’s only one sort. But there isn’t.

Sure, soldiers can be brave. So can police officers, firefighters, and those of us in the long underwear community. So can school teachers (have you seen some of the schools out there?). So can addicts who finally ask for help. So can people fighting cancer. So can doctors who go into war-torn or disease-ridden areas to serve the sick.

It’s can also be an act of bravery to willingly expose yourself to inevitable ridicule by a certain segment of the population, such as coming out as transgender.

I could go on and on, but the point is that bravery is not the exclusive province of any one group of people.

Or group of appliances.

More significantly, it’s not a contest! There’s no point to asking who’s the bravest of them all. Because there’s no way to answer it.