In every moment that I Am Cait airs on E!, Caitlyn Jenner is being brave. Already a part of one of the most closely scrutinized families in the world, it takes courage to let the world into her transition and extremely personal struggles. This week, she took that even further, as Caitlyn wore a bathing suit for the first time, ever, and chose to let I Am Cait viewers in on this important, difficult experience. "Putting on that bathing suit represents a lot to me," Caitlyn said early in the episode, and that was already made clear last week when she chose not to join her friends in the hot tub because she wasn't ready. But on Sunday, she took that big step and seemed all the happier for it.
Of course, she had to choose a bathing suit first. She was torn between a pair of one-pieces, one black with a plunging neckline, the other white and one-shouldered. Caitlyn joked that while she loves her daughter, referring to Kim Kardashian, the black bathing suit was more her style, because it is "more revealing in the cleavage department." Eventually, Caitlyn chose the white bathing suit and wore it outside with some lace pants, before removing them to join her supportive friends in the pool.
“OK I did it, I got the bathing suit on, in the water," she said after she (literally) took the plunge. "It was nerve-wracking, and yes, it was very freeing. I did see my reflection in the glass door..." she paused and shook her head back and forth as if thinking back, "it looked pretty good.”
Knowing how difficult it was for Caitlyn to even put on the bathing suit, let alone wear it in front of a whole group of people, just makes her choice to then share this moment with I Am Cait viewers even more admirable. She took a very personal, difficult experience and broadcast it to the world, all in the hopes that it may help someone else out there. If that's not courage, I don't know what is.
Image: James White/E! Entertainment
