Caitlyn Jenner breaks down in tears while thanking her family as she accepts Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs
Caitlyn Jenner tearfully thanked her family while accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award on Wednesday at the ESPYs in Los Angeles.
The 65-year-old honoree received a standing ovation as she made her first major public appearance at the awards show since announcing her transitioning to a woman during an April tell-all interview with Diane Sawyer.
Caitlyn got tearful toward the end of her acceptance speech as she thanked her family, including mother, sister and nine adult children in the audience.
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Courage award: Caitlyn Jenner tearfully thanked her family on Wednesday night while accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs in Los Angeles
'The biggest fear in Caitlyn Jenner coming out was I never wanted to hurt anyone else, most of all my family and my kids,' she said of the long-time struggle over her sexuality.
'I'm so, so grateful to have all of you in my life. Thank you,' she said wiping away a tear as her voice broke.
She was presented with the honour by Abby Wambach, who is also an Olympic gold medalist, and was part of the US women's soccer team that won the World Cup earlier this month.
Public debut: The awards show marked Caitlyn's first major public appearance since her transition
Be a showstopper in a white gown like Caitlyn
Caitlyn Jenner might have skipped the ESPY red carpet, but that doesn't take away her crown for best dressed.
Caitlyn took the stage in a stunning white gown while receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
Although, her speech was quite memorable and teary-eyed, she made sure not to ruin her bronze make up or get a tear on her breath taking white dress.
If you fell in love with her ethereal wrap gown as much as we did, then why not follow the footsteps of a fashionista and emulate her look?
We found you some sexy alternatives, that will hug those curves but still give you the elegant look like Caitlyn.
Toss your curled locks to the side, throw on some gold teardrop earrings...and voila, you've mimicked Caitlyn's ESPY look!
Glamorous: Caitlyn accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in a custom Versace gown
Special night: Abby Wambach introduced Caitlyn as she presented the award
Big moment: The audience was transfixed as the sporting icon and reality TV star made her speech
Taking a bow: The athletes linked hands and took a bow together before leaving the stage
Caitlyn wore a white custom Versace gown during her acceptance speech and also singled out her mother Esther who attended the awards ceremony after recently undergoing surgery.
She thanked Esther for teaching her how to act with courage as her 19-year-old model daughter Kendall Jenner wiped away tears and 17-year-old daughter Kylie Jenner also fought to contain her emotions.
Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian also were in the audience along with Jenner's sons Brandon and Brody with only stepson Rob Kardashian prominently absent.
Top honor: Esther looked up at Caitlyn as they sat together in the audience at Microsoft Theater
Caitlyn during her acceptance speech also publicly thanked ABC news veteran Diane for her role in telling her story.
'This transition has been harder on me than anything I could have imagined,' Caitlyn told the audience as she pleaded for people to treat transgender people, particularly youths, with more compassion.
'Trans people deserve something vital,' she said. 'They deserve your respect.'
Standing ovation: Diane Sawyer and the rest of the audience stood up as Caitlyn took the stage
Family first: Kendall Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner listened intently as Caitlyn spoke
Famous family: Kim Kardashian sat a row ahead of her famous sisters Kendall and Khloe
Photo bomb: Bob Baffert fresh off his Triple Crown win with American Pharaoh got in on the Kardashians
Proud family: Pregnant Kim Kardashian happily cheered on her stepfather Caitlyn Jenner alongside Kendall Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on Wednesday
Black ensembles: Caitlyn's children who were in attendance opted for all-black outfits on the big night
She acknowledged forerunners in the campaign including Renee Richards, Chaz Bono and Laverne Cox and gave a nod to transgender athletes and military personnel.
'We've come a long way, but we have a lot of work to do,' she said.
Caitlyn opened her acceptance speech with a light touch as she joked about being under tremendous pressure the past few months.
'Picking out this outfit,' she quipped. 'OK, girls, I get it. You've got to get the shoes, the hair, the make-up, the whole process. It was exhausting.'
Caitlyn before she took the stage was the subject of a video profile narrated by Mad Men star Jon Hamm.
The video showed Bruce Jenner competing in the decathlon in the 1976 Summer Olympics and winning the gold medal.
Light touch: Caitlyn opened her acceptance speech joking about the pressure of finding the right outfit
Sports hero: Bruce Jenner when competing in the 1976 Summer Olympics
He was aged 26 at the time and became an American hero as the country searched for a symbol of hope as the nation's bicentennial approached following a decade of turmoil.
Jenner was the right guy at the right time with Hamm saying he made 'patroitism cool again in America'.
The high-profile athlete however had been coping with gender dysphoria since his youth.
At home: Caitlyn was shown in the accompanying video while at home discussing the difficulties facing the transgender community
A transition attempt in the late 1980s was abandoned by Jenner due to concerns over his family, but it was pursued again after his marriage to Kris Jenner ended in 2013.
A decision to reduce his Adam's apple in 2014 was caught by the paparazzi.
'I knew immediately it was going to destroy me,' he said in the video.
Hollywood stars: Kiefer Sutherland and Rachel McAdams (left) presented the award for Best Record-Breaking Performance to Peyton Manning (right)
Service award: Halle Berry presented the Pat Tillman Award for Service to Danielle Green
Boston fan: Boston Red Sox fan Ben Affleck presented the Icon Award to retired New York Yankees star Derek Jeter
Team award: Vince Vaughn and Brett Favre presented the Best Team Award
Male athlete: Jake Gyllenhaal presented the award for Best Male Athlete to Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors
Good times: Britney Spears laughed while presenting the Best Female Athlete award with NFL player JJ Watt
A photo of Jenner crying in his car moved his daughter Kendall who said her father never cries.
'It was really, really hard to see,' she admitted.
'People forget we're actually human beings,' Kendall said in the video.
Hard to see: Kendall in a video said it was tough to see her father cry
'To finally be free, that must be the greatest feeling in the world,' she added later.
'Thirty-nine years after we were introduced the world is meeting Caitlyn Jenner again and for the first time,' Hamm said while noting that just like 1976 the timing was perfect.
Transgender actress Candis Cayne was set to accompany Caitlyn to the awards ceremony as both of their camps on Wednesday shot down reports of a romance.
Unveiling: News of the honour was first announced in June in the same Vanity Fair magazine article that revealed her transition from Bruce to Caitlyn
'It was so ridiculous. What, is Candis suddenly a lesbian now? Candis is currently single but is only interested in men, and Caitlyn is a woman,' a source responding to a tabloid report told Us Weekly.
A source close to Caitlyn also confirmed they were not dating.
Candis, one of the first trangsgender actresses in Hollywood, appears on the I Am Cait upcoming reality series and has been a sort of mentor to Caitlyn.
Not dating: Caitlyn and Candis Cayne, shown last month in New York City, were set to attend the ESPYs together after sources for both shot down reports of a romance between them
And while the award was a tremendous honour, Caitlyn, of course, had fashion on the brain upon hearing the news.
She tweeted when the announcement was made in June: 'What the hell am I going to wear?'
Perhaps Kim Kardashian, 34, was pivotal in Caitlyn's final sartorial choices for the evening.
What matters most: And while the award is a tremendous honour, Caitlyn, of course, had fashion on the brain upon hearing the news
Large family: Jenner's children including Kendall, Khloe, Kylie, Kim, Kourtney, Brandon and Brody were shown in an Instagram snap backstage shared by Kim
Showing support: Kendall and Kylie Jenner arrived at the awards ceremony to support their father
Gorgeous: The brunette beauty certainly turned heads in her demure, floor-length gown
Sisters doin' it for themselves: The pair stunned in the classy outfits and owned the red carpet
Full-on glamour: Kylie effortlessly turned heads on the red carpet in her metallic fishtail dress
Family affair: Brody Jenner also was there to support his father along with girlfriend Kaitlynn Carter
All white: Diane Sawyer also was at the awards ceremony after hosting the tell-all special in April in which the Olympics champion announced she was a woman
Even before Caitlyn transitioned, Kim - who Caitlyn said has been the most accepting of the children - became something of a stylist to her stepparent.
Then still living as Bruce, Kim said she would help go through his closet and weed out all the ugly clothes, and at the time he even admitted to stealing one of her outfits.
'If you’re keeping some of these pieces, I don’t want to be known as your stylist,' she told him on an About Bruce special of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
On the way: Kourtney Kardashian tweeted that she and sister Khloe were on their way to the awards show apparently well after it started
Showgirl: Britney Spears wowed fans in the barely-there dress which featured sequins and fringe detail
Busty: Mel B put on a very buxom display as she arrived in a bright red, form-fitting dress
Strike a pose: The former Spice Girl is looking better than ever and was joined by husband Stephen Belafonte
Husband and wife: The couple cosied-up on the red carpet as they attended the annual ceremony
Purr-fect! Catwoman actress Halle Berry put on a very leggy display in her choice of attire
The thigh's the limit: The actress flaunted her impressive legs in the leather mini skirt
Similar styles: USA women's soccer players Hope Solo and Carli Lloyd shimmered in black and charcoal
Getting close: Hope Solo and Jerramy Stevens arrive at The Microsoft Centre in LA
Colour co-ordinated: Russell Wilson and Ciara both wore wine-coloured looks
The former Olympian joined recent Arthur Ashe Courage Award recipients such as Michael Sam, the first openly gay NFL player, and sportscaster Robin Roberts, who survived breast cancer and the blood disease myelodysplastic syndrome.
In its statement announcing Jenner's award, an ESPN boss said he hoped honouring Jenner would 'give comfort' to other transgender people struggling with their identity.'
Executive producer Maura Mandt said upon announcing the honour: 'Bruce [Jenner] has received many accolades over the years for being one of the greatest Olympians of our time, but The ESPYS are honored to celebrate Bruce becoming Caitlyn.'
'She has shown the courage to embrace a truth that had been hidden for years, and to embark on a journey that may not only give comfort to those facing similar circumstances, but can also help to educate people on the challenges that the transgender community faces.'
Jenner herself was also quoted in the statement. She said: 'In the past few months, the overwhelming outpouring of support from all over the world for my journey has been incredible'.
'However, being honored with this award, which is named after one of my heroes, is truly special. For the first time this July, I will be able to stand as my true self in front of my peers.'
ESPN has given its Arthur Ashe Courage Award to figures ranging from professional sportsmen to relative unknowns - and even a world leader.
Ashe was a top-ranked US tennis player who died of AIDS-related pneumonia and was known for his support of civil rights and efforts to educate others about HIV and AIDS.
American champion: Arthur Ashe is shown in 1975 after beating Jimmy Connors in four sets to win Wimbledon
Following the announcement Bob Costas said that Caitlyn wasn't 'deserving' of the bravery award.
The NBC sportscaster described the move as a 'crass exploitation play' by the network and suggested that somebody 'actively involved in sports' should get it instead.
Costas asserted that Jenner had been granted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award because she offers a 'gawker factor' to the awards ceremony itself, and boost TV audience figures for the ESPYs award ceremony.
Gold medal: Jenner won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
This is not, however, the first accolade for Jenner, who came the American decathlete champion in 1974 and won the French national championship the following year.
That same year, in 1975, Jenner set a world record of 8,524 points at a track meet in Oregon.
Of course Jenner's biggest accomplishment came in 1976 upon winning the gold medal in the decathlon.
Fighting champion: Ronda Rousey accepted the Best Female Athlete Award at the ceremony
Fan favourite: Rob Gronkowski accepted the Best Comeback Athlete award after the New England Patriots star overcame a season-ending knee injury in 2013
Winner after losing: Lebron James accepted the award for Best Championship Performance for his play in the NBA Finals in which his Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors
Cute couple: Derek Jeter leans into girlfriend Hanna Davis as he accepted the Icon Award
Best team: Alex Morgan and Hope Solo of the US women's soccer team and their teammates accepted the award for Best Team
During the coronation, Jenner took an American flag from a spectator and hoisted it into the air while running a victory lap, initiating a tradition that is now common among athletes the world over.
Jenner has been inducted into US National Track and Field Hall of Fame, the Olympic Hall of Fame, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame, and the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame.
Before Caitlyn's gender transition she was married three times. Her first marriage was to Chrystie Scott (1972-1981), which produced two children Burton and Cassandra.
Greatest athlete: Bruce is shown in 1976 training for the Sumer Olympics
One week after the divorce for his first marriage was finalized she remarried, this time to actress Linda Thompson, they had two children together Brandon and Brody.
Linda divorced Jenner in 1986. The former Olympian went on to marry Kris Jenner in 1991, they have two daughters, Kendall and Kylie.
Jenner is step-parent to Kris' four children, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob Kardashian.
Caitlyn and Kris had their divorce finalized in March 2015, just one month before Caitlyn's official gender transition was made public.
Victory! Of course Jenner's biggest athletic accomplishment came in 1976 upon winning the gold medal in the decathlon
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