Why Caitlyn Jenner And Laverne Cox’s Magazine Covers Are A Perfect Way To Kick Off LGBT Pride Month
June 1 marks the first day of National LGBT Pride Month. That means LGBT people and their allies will be showing their support by celebrating LGBT rights and the LGBT community. What a perfect way to kick off Pride Month by talking about Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox’s magazine covers.
Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, debuted her true gender on the cover of Vanity Fair’s July cover. The breathtaking cover and photo shoot was shot by none other than famed photographed Annie Leibovitz. Jenner stuns on the cover in a white corset.
The perfect headline reads: “Call me Caitlyn.”
Caitlyn Jenner poses for Annie Leibovitz on the cover of Vanity Fair #CallMeCaitlyn http://t.co/NRyh6R09RR pic.twitter.com/GO1ZgJJKBR
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) June 1, 2015
Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover story also includes a video that goes behind the scenes on her history-breaking photo shoot. In the video, Jenner recounts who Bruce was and who Caitlyn is.
“The last few days in doing this shoot was about my life. And who I am as a person. It’s not about the fanfare, it’s not about people cheering in the stadium. It’s not about going down the street and everybody giving me ‘Thataboy, Bruce!’ Pat on the back, Ok? This about your life. Bruce always had to tell a lie. He was always living that lie. Every day he always had a secret from morning till night. Caitlyn doesn’t have any secrets. Soon as the Vanity Fair cover comes out, I’m free.”
Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover will quickly become a memorable moment in pop culture history, especially when it comes to transgender awareness. Laverne Cox graced the cover of Bust magazine’s June/July issue.
Hello @Lavernecox! Out on newsstands today! pic.twitter.com/Mr6rwLJw5o
— BUST Magazine (@bust_magazine) May 26, 2015
Inside the magazine, the Orange is the New Black star talks about dealing with self-acceptance, finding love, and battling the patriarchy. She also recently talked about Bruce Jenner’s transition to Caitlyn Jenner. Laverne noted that even though Cailtyn’s transformation is groundbreaking, it’s important to focus on all transgender people.
“Bruce’s story is very specific. Most trans people don’t have that kind of privilege. At the end of the day, the visibility that I had last year and continue to have, didn’t save Blake Brockington from suicide, didn’t save Leelah Alcorn from suicide, didn’t save the seven trans women who were murdered the first eight weeks of this year. So visibility matters, but structural change and policy change is what needs to happen so the lives of all trans people will be better.”
Having public figures like Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox is a great way to bring awareness to trans issues and to kick off Pride Month.
On Friday, May 29, President Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. He also wants to make this year the year to focus on LGBT discrimination in the workplace. In his speech, Obama stated that his executive order “[ensures] that our employees and contractors are judged by the quality of their work, not by who they love.”
You can read Barack Obama’s full proclamation at the NewNowNext website.
What are your thoughts on Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover? Do you think it’s a groundbreaking moment for the trans community? Do you think having public figures like Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox will help bring awareness to the transgender community? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.
[Images: Vanity Fair and Bust Magazine]
