Many hoped that Caitlyn would use her celebrity power to help the many thousands of embattled transgender people, but she hasn't. Caitlyn entered the community with the lack of any recognition for the work that had gone into trying to end the confusion over gender pronouns. To many in the community she sent their progress back and many want her to give back. She can afford anything she needs, so I think she needs to put some of the money back into the transgender community. For years transgender people have been abused and battered, yet she has not used any of her power to help them. Her Vanity Fair cover captured the fact that her transition story is very different from other people. Throughout the whole article she is swathed in designer clothes against a backdrop of her multi-million dollar Malibu home and an eighteen million dollar Porsche, sets up a stark contrast with the known experiences of a transgender person. Some transgender people say the she has live a very "easy" transition compared to anyone else in the community. Many want her to show us that she is just like anyone else and does struggle at times. For her to actually be able to talk about the experiences of transgender people she needs to experience them herself. She is not going to be able to change people outside the communities mind without moving out of her comfort zone. Caitlyn needs to show the world part of herself that doesn't need millions of dollars.
I could not agree with you more. I have nothing against people who are attracted to the same sex, nor do I have anything against people who are transgender. These are just situations that we must learn to accept in order to move on with our daily lives. I am, however, aware of the constant struggles that gay and transgender people have to face. I also believe that Caitlyn has had a pretty “breezy” life in which she has not fully faced the real-life situations that most gay and transgender people face on a daily basis. Due to the fact that Caitlyn is a well-known individual, I too believe that she should embrace her story and use it to inspire others who are going through what she did, something that Caitlyn hasn’t thoroughly addressed. In order to create a lasting impact in the gay and transgender community, Caitlyn must reveal a more touching side to her story to create an impact worth the while, giving others the inspiration and courage to continue their journey.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some points in this media blog, but I do want to bring to attention some other points that I did not completely agree with. I do not really believe that anyone can blame her for not having the same exact "transgender experience" as everyone else. Yes, there are many similar stories in the community, but you cannot blame someone for not going through the same thing or for not having it as hard as the rest of the community. I do not think you can expect someone who is embracing and finding their own identity still to be able to know exactly what to do and say to inspire millions of people watching. It is a completely new experience for her, and on top of that, she has had to do this with a global spotlight. The situation is not black and white, but I just wanted to try and provide a different side of the story. Yes, there was a lot of pressure on her shoulders, but you cannot criticize someone for not being able to fulfill the expectations of millions of people. Even I was expecting more before I realized that this is completely new for her too. How can she possibly know what to do or say after 65 years of living differently? I do not know the answer and Caitlyn Jenner might not know either.
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