Caitlyn Jenner Controversy

Caitlyn Jenner has recently been in the news because she publicly came out as a transgender woman in summer 2015. Caitlyn, born as Bruce Jenner, has already been famous long before her transition. Her fame stretches back to the 1970s: after winning the decathlon at the Summer Olympics in 1976, Jenner was heralded as the world’s greatest athlete. She was caught up by the media, which and landed her on the Wheaties box as a symbol of masculinity/maleness and American sports greatness. She later on became known for her motivational-speeches and appeared in several television programs. Since she has told her story, she has been elevated by the mainstream media and became the world’s most famous openly transgender person. Whether deserving or not, …show more content…
While the US have been engaged in actions on the LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual) issues for decades, the “T” in LGBT remained silent. The “T” refers to people who permanently identify with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth, or whose gender expression does not match society’s expectation regarding gender roles. In fact, these people had received a lot less attention until very recently and their issue and gender identity is still unclear for many Americans, who held/hold overwhelmingly negative feelings for them. Unfortunately, transgender people are still legally discriminated against in most of the states. They have several barriers such as the lack of access of trans-specific health cares, obtaining government-issued identification corresponding to their gender identity or military injustice. They also are more often subject to bullying in schools and in the workplace, violence or even murder. In the face of these harrowing facts, more and more people are coming out in order to educate everyone around them on this issue. Progress has been made, however, the transgender civil right battles are far from being …show more content…
For some she serves as an inspiration. They believe that she could/can represent trans issues and break down false stereotypes. Others are convinced that she transitioned for publicity, and argue that her new reality show, the I Am Cait, only serves to share her new experiences as a woman. Still others argue that someone this rich and famous is able to fully understand where the most trans people are coming from and what crucial problems they face. On top of that, her old-fashioned idea of femininity divides or even insults the trans community. She has also and been criticized for her political remarks and sympathy for the Republican party. In response to the criticism, Jenner explained that she is not a single-issue voter, and despite her belief in the constitution and conservative approach to economy, she is planning to be present if not involved in politics to take steps towards trans equality. Admittedly, this does not change the fact that the opinions on her function and role related to the transgender issues are very