Almost two years ago Caitlyn Jenner was honored for "courage" by ESPN. It set off a fire storm of anger about how she wasn't courageous and how ESPN had bypassed people (read men) who were far more brave, especially those in the military and what she was doing was selfish and against nature. I argued that bravery and courage can take many forms. It takes courage to be a single parent. It takes bravery to save a life in the OR or ER. It takes courage to stand against hate and oppression. It takes bravery to stop someone from doing things that take another's civil rights.
Bravery takes many forms. They saw you as brave enough to bypass social barriers and to do what you were doing in spite of what others would say or think. You were brave to be you when it isn't accepted by a majority. The hair color wasn't brave (or was it? what color did you get?); it was the fact you did it when others would have not. We see it here a lot. Those who decide that they cannot suppress who they are and who make a statement and stand beside those who are being marginalized in order to stop it are brave. Those who stand up for themselves, knowing that it isn't what is expected of them, are brave. Usually those seen as brave by others are just survivors. Those who can no longer live in the dark or can see no other way to live thier lives. I can tell you that in the military, bravery is often the result of having no other choice. Brave people often don't choose that path, but have it thrust upon them
