Los Angeles: Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner issued an impassioned plea for transgender acceptance on Wednesday in her first public appearance since coming out as a transgender woman, defying a blizzard of derision on social media.


Caitlyn Jenner waves to the audience after accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Pic/Getty Images 

Formerly Bruce Jenner, the US decathlon champion of the 1976 Montreal Olympics seized the moment for transgender advocacy as she collected the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY Sports Awards gala in Los Angeles.