Caitlyn Jenner Says She Was ‘Wrong’ About Trump In Wake Of New Transgender Policy
Caitlyn Jenner has supported President Donald Trump in the past, but has announced she changed her mind, USA Today is reporting. Jenner wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post that was published on Thursday, October 25, denouncing the president. Recently, a memo was leaked to the press that showed the administration was attempting to alter the definition of gender to show that it is determined by one’s genitalia at birth. This caused quite a stir in the transgender community. Jenner came out as a transgender woman in 2015, but thought that Trump would advocate for LGBTQ rights.
“Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to claim to support this valuable, vulnerable community, and I was encouraged by the applause he received when he said at the Republican National Convention in July 2016 that he would stand up for the LGBTQ community,” she wrote in the column.
“Sadly, I was wrong. The reality is that the trans community is being relentlessly attacked by this president. He has ignored our humanity. He has insulted our dignity. This is politics at its worst. It is unacceptable, it is upsetting, and it has deeply, personally hurt me.”
Jenner has identified as a staunch Republican in the past and publicly supported Trump during his presidential run. Many members of the LGBT community turned on Jenner due to this. Still, Jenner stuck by Trump and said she hoped to use her position and privilege to help make change. Since Trump has been in office, he has made it so that people who identify as transgender can no longer serve in the military. In addition, he has pushed back on protections made under former president Barack Obama’s administration that ensured students were able to use their preferred bathrooms. Jenner cites these actions as reasons for rescinding her support for Trump.
“I do not support Trump,” Jenner now says. “I must learn from my mistakes and move forward.”
Jenner has been very open about her journey and her transition process. No stranger to reality television, the former Keeping Up With the Kardashians star began her own show, I Am Cait, to document the important changes in her life. Her coming out story was very public and she officially revealed her identity and name change to the world by gracing the cover of Vanity Fair. She has been an advocate for transgender rights and has worked on raising awareness ever since. After placing “misplaced hope” in Trump, she now vows to “listen more” to the LGBTQ community.
