Caitlyn Jenner Praises Transgender Film ‘Tangerine,’ Shares Dreams for LGBT Community & Talks Family

Caitlyn Jenner has no hesitation when it comes to turning 2016 into the year where she celebrates her new transgender lifestyle and seeks to make positive changes in the LGBT community as an activist. At a screening for a new movie, Tangerine, Caitlyn sought to express what she’s discovered about the transgender community overall. In addition, Jenner discussed how she succeeded in going from a life of isolation to one of focusing on making a difference, reported People.

“After the last nine months that I have been ‘out,’ I have learned so much about this community,” revealed Caitlyn. “I was totally isolated. I obviously couldn’t ‘out’ myself for so many years, and then I got to a point in my life where I really felt like I really had to live my life authentically, and as who I was, and maybe by doing that I could make a difference, but this is a process of education.”

Jenner emphasized that although she sees progress in the transgender community, she wants to continue and publicize the issues by educating the public.

“We have a lot of momentum in the trans community, but we have to keep that momentum going,” stressed the 66-year-old. “We have to bring this in front of the public.”

Caitlyn also offered her kudos to the movie Tangerine, which features the challenges that transgender women of color face. Actress Mya Taylor portrays a trans sex worker in the film and earned praise from Jenner, who noted that the power of film can be to showcase the issues in the transgender world.

“These are real big issues in our community – jobs, health care, all of these issues – and it’s [through] something like this that you really get to see what’s going on, and we need to do a lot of work,” asserted Caitlyn.

Jenner values the film because she believes that acceptance is essential, and that through a film, the experience becomes humanized.

“We need a lot of acceptance, and stories like this are nothing but good for the entire community,” added Caitlyn. “So often when we humanize an experience like this in our community, really the only time that we hear about this is in statistics and headlines.”

In addition to speaking out at the special screening of the movie, Jenner shared how she spent her New Year’s Eve with E! News.

“I was with the family,” revealed Caitlyn. “I went over to Kylie’s for awhile, spent some time there, and then Kourtney right up the street was having a party. It was very quick, easy. I was out of there by 9 o’clock and went home and went to bed.”

Jenner, who stars in the reality TV show I Am Cait, also could not resist a visit to her new grandchild, Saint West. However, there was just one problem with that desire grandparents have to cuddle and spoil their grandchildren.

“He was upstairs sleeping,” commented Caitlyn.

The second child and first boy of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Saint West has been the subject of much speculation over just who he resembles since Kim and Kanye have not yet released a full baby photo. So Jenner gave a clue, well, sort of.

“He doesn’t look like me,” joked Caitlyn.

But Jenner turned serious regarding her dreams for progress in the transgender community. From careers to homelessness, Caitlyn showed she recognized that the issues are serious.

“I want to see more understanding. I want to see the whole movement move forward. Jobs are a huge issue. Just getting proper ID, gender markers, is a major issue… All of these things are big issues in the community. There’s a lot of homelessness. The list goes on and on and on.”

As to why she chose to host the screening of Tangerine, Caitlyn listed two reasons. First, she feels it is essential that transgender individuals provide support to each other. And second, because she believes the messages of the movie are important.

“We need to tell these stories,” said Jenner.

[Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Glamour]