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So far, all we’ve heard about Bruce Jenner’s transition has been second hand. Jenner has not personally spoken out yet, although mainstream celebrity outlets like People and US Magazine have run cover articles about this using unnamed sources. We’s also heard that Jenner will do an interview with Diane Sawyer in May in which he will package an announcement that he’s transgender with the launch of a new reality series, filming now, which chronicles his journey. (Note: we will refer to Jenner by the female pronoun and by Jenner’s preferred name when and if Jenner expresses a preference.)

May is a full three months away and Jenner’s delay in making an announcement isn’t sitting well with some members of the transgender community. Transgender activist Zoey Tur, a helicopter newa reporter and correspondent for Inside Edition, spoke to TMZ about why many transgender people are suspicious of Bruce’s motivations. Here’s what she said and you can see the video on TMZ’s site:

“A lot of people are very suspicious of what’s going on because of the connection with the Kardashians. They feel that if Bruce is transgender, come out with it. Speak up. We have a 42% suicide attempt rate, six times the national average on suicide. We need our role models and there’s no greater role model than the world’s greatest athlete. What’s the big deal? Many feel that Jenner is pitching a reality show and using this buildup to gain more momentum and get paid to do an interview. They don’t like it because this is a civil rights battle. This is not about selling TV show. This is about saving lives.

“Harvey Milk said that it was really important for gays and lesbians to come out to their families, to their friends and coworkers because that’s how we’re going to gain acceptance. With the transgender community we’re about 30 years behind the gay and lesbian community. We need our role models. This is a public health crisis. So Bruce, come out. How much money do you need?”

[From video on TMZ]

That was very articulate and well said. Tur certainly helped me understand why this could be viewed negatively by transgender people. With the Kardashians, it’s hard to take them seriously when everything is so orchestrated for cash and ratings. A source tells TMZ however that Jenner is carefully timing the announcement to make sure his daughters are old enough to deal with the fallout, and that it’s not about the upcoming reality series. “He’s still going through the motions and wants to take his time to help his youngest daughters cope. It’s not about a TV show or announcement.”

People magazine has a more positive outlook on Jenner’s change. They interviewed transgender author Jennifer Finney Boylan, who wrote She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders. Boylan discussed her own journey and how her over 25 year marriage changed and evolved. She also wished Jenner well. “I wish Jenner strength and love on this journey, and I hope whatever Jenner goes through not only helps Jenner but all of the rest of us.”

Speaking of skepticism of the Kardashian narrative, TMZ has a follow up story about the claim that Kris was blindsided by Bruce’s announcement to her and the family. They say that she knew for years he was transitioning and tried to keep it under wraps. I can see that. I can also see her blanching at Bruce’s insistence that he’s going to go public and cut her out of the production of his show.

In terms of the fatal car crash that Jenner was involved with on Saturday, TMZ has the news that he has hired a lawyer. It’s been speculated that he was driving too closely to the car he rear-ended, the driver of whom was subsequently hit by a larger vehicle and killed, but it’s unlikely he’ll be prosecuted for vehicular manslaughter. Law enforcement has possession of the four cars involved in the accident and a forensics team will use each car’s computer “black box” data to try to reconstruct the accident. Apparently these black boxes “gauge what the driver was doing for the 5 seconds before impact. In one-second intervals, the boxes show speed, braking, the position of the accelerator, etc.” Production of the reality show has not been affected by Jenner’s accident.

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