Award Shows July 16, 2015
Celebrities React to Caitlyn Jenner at ESPYs
Caitlyn Jenner may not have walked the red carpet at the ESPYs, but she was certainly a hot topic at the awards ceremony!
"Extra's” Charissa Thompson chatted with celebrities who were supportive of Caitlyn, and were looking forward to seeing her accept her award.
"Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts, a past recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award, said about Caitlyn, “I have been very proud to be a recipient of the award, and everyone who has received it, and nothing has been done to change that, and I feel that it really is going to send a very strong message to the world at large and to the transgender community in particular that she is a hero. She is a hero to many, and it's wonderful that she is being recognized as such.”
Women's UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey, who won the ESPY for Best Fighter, praised Caitlyn, saying, “It was a really brave thing to do and there's a lot of criticism that really could have come her way and I'm happy to see like how everyone has really just universally accepted it, and there's a real social change, and I'm really happy about it.”
Former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Amy Purdy gushed, “I'm proud of her, I'm excited to see her acceptance speech, and we'll see what she does with it. I mean, that's the thing she is making a positive difference in the world and that really is what that platform is all about.”
WNBA legend Lisa Leslie added about the famed Olympian, “Caitlyn shut down the whole game. She looks better than most women who've been women all their life… I think it's great. You know, at the end of the day, Bruce Jenner was an amazing athlete, Caitlyn is brave... the fact that he's been able to make that transition in front of the world. A lot of us would not have been able to do that, so I had no problem with it at all. Go Caitlyn!”
Houston Texans star JJ Watt remarked, “I think what Caitlyn's been able to do for that community has been huge. I think her coming out and telling her story and sharing it has been extremely big for that community, and I think it's also gonna inspire other people to live their life the way they want to live it, and I don't think people should be judged for that.”