Caitlyn Jenner To Trump: Reality Star Sends Powerful Message To President
Caitlin Jenner has delivered a powerful message to Trump over announced changes to legislation affecting trans individuals, calling the move a “disaster” and inviting the president to contact her.
On Wednesday, Trump withdrew legislation implemented by the Obama administration last May that extended to public schools across the nation, allowing transgender students to use the bathroom that corresponded to their gender identity. The change marks a victory for critics of the law, many of whom believe the federal government should never have been involved with the issue in the first place.
Following the announcement, Jenner, a trans rights spokesperson and vocal Republican, was silent before taking to Twitter on Thursday to voice her opinion in a video directed at the president. Speaking directly to the camera, Jenner appealed to Trump and reminded him of his campaign trail promise to be an ally for the LGBTQ community.
“I have a message for President Trump from well, one Republican to another. This is a disaster. And you can still fix it. You made a promise to protect the LGBTQ community. Call me.”
Jenner, who came out as trans in a 2015 issue of Vanity Fair, surprised many by maintaining her support of the Republican Party in the 2016 election. Following the announcement by the GOP last June that Trump would be their presumptive nominee, Jenner was vocal in her belief that Trump would be more of an ally to women and the LGBTQ community than Hilary Clinton.
“Everybody looks at the Democrats as being better with these [LGBT] issues. But Trump seems to be very much for women. He seems very much behind the LGBT community because of what happened in North Carolina with the bathroom issue. He backed the LGBT community. But in Trump’s case, there’s a lot more unknowns. With Hillary, you pretty much know what you’re gonna get with the LGBT community.”
In the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration in January, Jenner posted on Twitter that she believed “Republicans need help understanding LGBTQ issues” and that she was “here to help.”
Republicans need help understanding LGBTQ ???? issues and I'm here to help!
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) January 18, 2017
Jenner was also spotted attending an inauguration eve dinner with House Speaker and vocal anti-LGBT Republican Paul Ryan. Despite maintaining seemingly close relationships with those seeking to undermine her cause, Jenner has used the two seasons of her E! docu-series I am Cait to discuss transgender rights and other political issues. Jenner rounded out her Twitter post with a message of solidarity to trans youth across the country.
“I have a message for the trans kids of America. You’re winning. I know it doesn’t feel like it today or every day, but you’re winning. Very soon we will win full freedom nationwide and it’s going to be with bipartisan support. You can help by checking out the National Center for Transgender Equality and letting Washington hear you loud and clear. Now I have a message for the bullies: You’re sick. And because you’re weak, you pick on kids, you pick on women or anyone else you think is vulnerable.”
Well @realDonaldTrump, from one Republican to another, this is a disaster. You made a promise to protect the LGBTQ community. Call me. pic.twitter.com/XwYe0LNUOq
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) February 24, 2017
Despite her efforts, it seems not all of the trans community is appreciative of Jenner’s attempts to hold the Trump administration to its campaign promises. Trans model and America’s Next Top Model alum Isis King penned an open letter to the former Olympian on behalf of the trans community, telling Jenner that “we do not need you to save us.”
In the letter, King calls out Jenner for her “overwhelming amount of privilege” and casts doubt over her ability to relate to the greater trans community.
While there is no doubt Jenner’s experience transitioning differs from that of many others, surely her position of prominence makes her an important voice in this time of uncertainty for the trans community.
[Featured Image by Jordan Strauss/AP Images]
