14 DAY TRIAL // The highlight at the ESPYS 2015 the other night was the moment Caitlyn Jenner took to the stage to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and delivered a powerful speech on the need for more acceptance, understanding and support of the LGBT community. Actor and director Peter Berg is convinced she had no place up there.
The announcement that Jenner would receive the award came shortly after she came out as a trans-woman on a Diane Sawyer special on ABC, which aired in April. Since then and until last night, and up to the moment of writing, there’s been a lot of debate online on whether she “deserved” the award and if presenting her with it didn’t mean a snub for someone more “worthy.”
What about the veterans?
Peter Berg, the director of “Hancock” and “Lone Survivor,” believes that Caitlyn had no place up on that stage, accepting the Ashe Courage Award. She might be brave for making her story public, but her bravery is nothing compared to that of veteran and double amputee Gregory D. Gadson.
After Jenner’s ESPYS speech aired on ABC (video below), Berg posted to his Instagram feed a meme that had been getting plenty of attention, of Gadson and Jenner when he was still Bruce, and an explanation of why the former was more deserving of the award than the latter.
He captioned it with “Yup,” making it clear that he stood behind the message on the photos: Gadson was “brave” because he had fought for his country and had lost his legs in the process, Jenner was not because he was willingly going through gender-reassignment surgery, which had nothing selfless about it.
Berg backtracks, says he’s not transphobic
You can see Berg’s initial Instagram below, right under Jenner’s ESPYS speech. The second post, also from Berg’s Instagram, is his explanation and half-apology: he isn’t transphobic, he was merely trying to highlight the fact that the veterans need more attention from mainstream media, and definitely more recognition as well.
“I believe that we don't give enough attention to our courageous returning war veterans, many of whom have sacrificed their bodies and mental health for our country and our principals- principals that include the freedom to live the life you want to live without persecution or abuse,” Berg writes.
He includes a photo stating that over 4,300 veterans committed suicide last year. This statistic is a response to the statistics mentioned by Jenner in her acceptance speech, illustrating how the LGBT community has the highest suicide rate of all minorities.
Yup. A photo posted by Peter Berg (@pberg44) on Jul 15, 2015 at 8:36pm PDT
I have the utmost respect for Caitlyn Jenner and I am a strong supporter of equality and the rights of trans people everywhere. I also believe that we don't give enough attention to our courageous returning war veterans, many of whom have sacrificed their bodies and mental health for our country and our principals- principals that include the freedom to live the life you want to live without persecution or abuse. A photo posted by Peter Berg (@pberg44) on Jul 16, 2015 at 2:00pm PDT