Numerous media outlets are reporting that it looks like transgender activist/reality show star and Olympic gold medal winning athlete CAITLYN JENNER has indicated she will be attending the January 20th inauguration of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. Trump, the least popular presidential election winner in U.S. history is largely reviled by the majority of the LGBTQ community for his offensive stands on most issues including LGBTQ rights. Many gay Americans support a boycott of the Trump Administration with a call to “Resist. Protest. Obstruct. Inform.” Trump lost the popular vote in the November 2016 election but won a majority in the Electoral College, the United States’ obsolete method of electing its presidents.
While hundreds of entertainers and celebrities from around the world have refused to participate or support Trump by attending or performing at the inauguration, a handful have indicated support including, reportedly, Jenner the equally controversial transgender celebrity who has come under attack for some of her conservative leaning views including Jenner’s own attack on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton who Jenner publicly referred to as “a fucking liar”.
Caitlyn Jenner has accepted an invitation to attend the Jan. 20 festivities, Us Weekly first reported Wednesday, citing a source. The news was widely reported elsewhere, and LGBTQ Nation said a source told them that Jenner was looking for someone to accompany her to the event.
Jenner, the Olympic gold medalist who chronicled her high-profile life as a transgender woman on the now-canceled E! docu-series “I Am Cait,” has expressed support for the president-elect.
On her show, the conservative Republican declared that she didn’t like Trump’s macho attitude, but “I think he would be very good for women’s issues.”
Certainly Caitlyn Jenner has the right to support any political philosophy that she wants…after all, we do live in a “free” country.
Well, at least for now.
But, we as her fellow citizens also have the right to NOT support other citizens who support regimes that are contrary if not out and out hostile to the rights of LGBTQ citizens. If Ms Jenner, as a wealthy white person feels comfortable living under the potential of harmful acts by the Trump Regime, she also has the freedom to leave the country and live elsewhere a privilege she has a wealthy white American.
However, for the rest of us, we don’t have the safety net of wealth or celebrity. We all can’t flee the potential dangers if they should occur. If Jenner wants to support that kind of danger and fear and threat to LGBTQ citizens, she can do it without the support of the queer community and our allies. Caitlyn Jenner’s TV show was cancelled (primarily because no one was willing or eager to see a misinformed right wing professional celebrity bumble their way through the complicated and difficult journey of transitioning as a transgender woman by heavily relying on their wealth and over emphasizing the material cosmetic aspects of transitioning with pricey make overs and high end fashions that only someone as rich as Jenner could afford…) but we’re sure that at some point, Jenner will have something new to sell. A book, or hair care product or yet another shitty TV show. If that’s the case, we suggest Ms Jenner seek out right wing supporters of Mr. Trump to support her future endeavors…though we doubt the conservative voters who supported Trump are really that keen on supporting Ms Jenner’s “chosen lifestyle”.
Wake up, Caitlyn. Avoid the Trump Circus.