How Will 'I Am Cait' Ever Feel Part of the Trans Community When They Keep Making Her Feel Like a Freak Because Her Story is One of Success?
“I Am Cait” is nothing but a study in massive contradiction. On Sunday’s episode, “Take Pride,” Bruce Jenner’s weekly journey into the absurd continued as he took on two new and fearsome opponents: the pronouns “they” and “them.”
In this scene, Jenner lunches with two other trans people who appear borderline-offended that Jenner continues describing the trans community as “they” and “them”:
>> Chandi: So are you starting to feel as if you are a part of this community?
>> Caitlyn: Yes. Um, I have learned-- because of you guys...
>> Chandi: Mm-hmm.
>> Caitlyn: ...So much.
>> Candis: But sometimes, when you do say "Them" and "They," it's like you're not including yourself in that group of people.
>> Caitlyn: Yeah.
>> Candis: But you're... You're one of us.
>> Chandi: The world needs to feel as if you are inclusive of our community. So it's totally... One of those things where you have to start embracing the word "We." We can start there.
So they want Jenner to start embracing the word “we.” Yet, how can he feel like he’s a part of that community, when on every episode so far, and as recent as the first few minutes of this week’s episode, every single person has tried to make him feel guilty; throwing the term “privileged” at her in a very negative way and stating that because of it they are afraid that she will never be like them?
>> Seeing someone like Caitlyn Jenner, who is in a position of acknowledged privilege, go through this is very different than the experience, day-to-day reality of most of... The vast 99.9% of trans people are not having the same experience as her.
Even earlier in this episode the GLAAD media people went on a long thing about how different every trans person’s story is and how each of their transitions is so special and unique. Yet, when Jenner talks about how welfare for kids who need to get jobs will end up hurting them, as he did a few weeks ago, he’s ridiculed. When he talks about or shows off his money, same thing.
Is the message from GLAAD that every trans person’s story is “unique and special,” as long as it included poverty, sex work and abuse? Anyone who has worked hard and had success does not have a unique story? Doesn’t that mentality completely contradict the image of tolerance and inclusiveness that LGBT tries to present to the world?
I wonder if Jenner knew that when he went through this “transformation,” he was turning himself into a human piñata by which all these angry LGBT activists would rip his lifestyle and his “privilege” to shreds. Whether he did or didn’t, that is what his life has become.
