Bruce Jenner, who now goes by the name Caitlyn Jenner, has earned the sympathies of a Christian radio personality named LaVern Vivio, who also struggled with gender identity issues when she was a teenager.
Vivio, a 52-year-old mother of four from Springfield, Tennessee, wrote in her blog post that even though she has been a happily married wife for around 26 years, life has not always been easy for her because there was a time when she wished she had been born a boy.
"Probably until I was well into junior high and maybe even high school I was fairly convinced God had simply mixed me up with John Mark, the name my parents had selected if I had been born male," she wrote.
It did not help that her body shape ventured into extremities — she was over six feet tall and had size 13 feet, which "never felt pretty or much less feminine."
"Back then when a girl like me came along they called me tomboy. For the guys the term was sissy or girlie. I suppose it was probably easier to be a 'tomboy' rather than a 'girlie' or 'sissy' guy but maybe not," she said. "Just like the guys opposite me, I was having trouble finding comfort in what God made me to be."
Vivio eventually got past her inner turmoil and confusion, thanks to God as well as her supportive family and friends. "Life was very difficult at times and the scars of adolescent taunts, a very low self-esteem and deep, deep loneliness took its toll for many years, but that was the journey God had for me," she said.
She also feels grateful that no one approached her and tried to convince her that she was not what God made her to be, and this is why she feels for Jenner, because she knows what he went through.
"My heart aches for Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner and those who have walked a similar journey. In his adulthood I have no real concern for how he chooses to live his life. If he were my friend or part of my family I would simply love him," she said.
