YouTube
While accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs Wednesday, Caitlyn Jenner told the crowd she was promoting a “very simple idea” of “accepting people for who they are.” Jenner, formerly known as Bruce, is the 1976 men’s Olympic decathlon champion and came out as a transgender woman earlier this year. “Trans people deserve something vital,” she said in one of her first major public appearances. “They deserve your respect. And from that respect comes a more compassionate community, a more empathetic society, and a better world for all of us.” Women’s World Cup champion Abby Wambach presented the award to Jenner before a video montage highlighted Jenner’s story. Jenner thanked her family and ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, who she came out to in an interview. Not all reactions were positive though: Lone Survivor director Peter Berg slammed the decision to give Jenner the award over an amputee army veteran.