By Julie Rosenberg ’16
Even Kim Kardashian’s nude pictures on the Internet aren’t enough to take attention away from talk about Caitlyn Jenner’s political views. That’s right, Kim is being pushed aside and Caitlyn is taking the forefront for the Kardashian/Jenner family during this election year.
As someone standing as one of the most prominent faces of acceptance of transgender men and women, itself considered a very liberal cause, Jenner has expressed that her political views lie opposite. When asked by Diane Sawyer if she was a Republican, Caitlyn responded by saying, “Yeah! Is that a bad thing? I believe in the Constitution.”
The fact that Caitlyn identifies as a Republican leaves some people in the LGBT community debating whether to support Caitlyn or not. It has been contemplated whether Caitlyn is actually a true supporter of the transgender cause or if she is only supporting it for publicity. Caitlyn’s political party affiliation makes this question even more, well, questionable.
According to a July Gallup Poll published in The Washington Post, 21 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans are Republican or lean Republican, compared with 63 percent who identify or lean Democratic. With only about one-fifth of the LGBT community leaning the same way as Caitlyn in their political ideology, her efforts to unite the community for the strength of her cause may become weakened.
Here at West Essex alone, people seem to side more Republican, however when it comes to social issues, such as gay marriage, many are willing to break traditional party lines; some of these same people agree that gay marriage should be legalized nationally. The party you side with shows a lot about you and your morals, but not everything. Social issues bring out a different side of some people that does not always align with the political party that they associate with.
“Caitlyn should be able to publicly state her political views, however she probably should not be so strong and stubborn about them for the sake of what she is trying to do for trans people,” said Senior Sonali Goil. “If Caitlyn wants people to see her point of view for trans issues, she needs to be able to see other points of views as well.”
“People are certainly allowed to have their own political opinions besides people may expect based on their gender,” said Mrs. Blanchard. “It is just kind of discrediting to the LGBT movement that Caitlyn would go and support someone who would try to take away all of the rights that the LGBT community and even herself have fought to gain.”
It leaves people in awe that one of the most famous faces of the transgender community could support someone so against it. The Texas senator has even said, “my five year-old … knows there’s a difference between boys and girls” in a conversation about transgender students’ bathroom privileges. How could Caitlyn back someone that doesn’t back her and her movement for trans people?
In an interview with transgender journalist Dawn Enis published in the Advocate Jenner said that despite Ted Cruz being “one of the worst ones” when it comes to transgender issues, she likes him and would even want to work for him if he wins the presidency. Cruz is in favor of providing Americans with jobs and a thriving economy, she says, and “I want every trans person to have a job.”
Senior Halle Mason feels that this stance is “controversial.” She asks “How will being able to get a job help someone who is young and struggling to become accepted as transgender in a school setting? Transpeople being able to get a job will only help part of the transgender population.”
Although some do believe that the economy is holding back trans people, In March, 2016, Zach Ford wrote at liberal political site Think Progress that the “economy isn’t what’s keeping transgender people from finding employment — it’s anti-transgender discrimination.”
As the political conversations escalate around the election for 2016, Americans look toward public figures to use the opportunity for change. Caitlyn Jenner currently has all eyes on her from those in the transgender community and those not in it. Hopefully, for her, her movement only progresses, however, many would not be surprised if it digresses due to the publication of her political views.
High school students especially, the soon to be voters and adults of america, should take voting in the election seriously and look for candidates that they agree with. Keep an eye out for what each candidate thinks about both social and economic issues and stay true to your opinion, Caitlin Jenner certainly will.
