Peter Berg questioned why Caitlyn Jenner deserved to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs this week, but then clarified he is still “a strong supporter of equality and the rights of trans people everywhere.”
The “Friday Night Lights” creator, who also executive produces HBO’s “Ballers” and directed 2013 war drama “Lone Survivor,” posted on Instagram Thursday a picture of Army veteran Gregory Gadson — who lost two legs during a tour of duty in Iraq — alongside a picture of Jenner before her transition.
“One Man traded 2 legs for the freedom of the other to trade 2 balls for 2 boobs,” text read that accompanied by image created by organization Main Stream Media Sponsored Boycotts. “Guess which Man made the cover of Vanity Fair, was praised for his courage by President Obama and is to be honored with the ‘Arthur Ashe Courage Award’ by ESPN?”
Predictably, Berg was slammed for posting the picture, and accused of being transphobic — a subject Jenner had spoken about when accepting her award at the ESPYs.
“If you want to call me names, make jokes, doubt my intentions, go ahead. The reality is, I can take it,” Jenner said. “But for the thousands of kids out there coming to terms with being true to who they are, they shouldn’t have to take it.”
Hours later, Berg returned to Instagram to defend himself and issue a message of support for the trans community, while clarifying his position on the issue.
“I have the utmost respect for Caitlyn Jenner and I am a strong supporter of equality and the rights of trans people everywhere,” Berg wrote on Instagram. “I also believe that we don’t give enough attention to our courageous returning war veterans, many of whom have sacrificed their bodies and mental health for our country and our principals — principals that include the freedom to live the life you want to live without persecution or abuse.”
The director also included a picture with the alarming statistic that 4,334 U.S. veterans have died by suicide this year.
Take a look at the Instagram posts below: