I normally keep my political and social views relatively quiet, and there are very few things that get me fired up enough to publicly respond. Today, I read an article titled “Calling Bruce Jenner a Woman is Insulting to Women”, and I became really irritated. Then I thought about it more, and I got frustrated. Now, I’m just mad.
The article insinuates that enabling Bruce Jenner to be called Caitlyn and become a woman essentially takes feminism back to the dark ages because “transgenderism is a direct assault on their entire world view.” Um, how so? Feminism is about equality, not dominance, and it would be a pretty pitiful movement if it could be brought to its knees by a man (or a few men) having his penis surgically removed.
I completely disagree. As a feminist and forward-thinker, I do not find it insulting at all that Caitlyn Jenner is being called a woman.
Matt Walsh begins his essay with a warning to parents about what their poor children are going to be exposed to on the magazine racks at the grocery store. Seriously? Give me a freaking break. To any child, who doesn’t know who Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner is, the cover shot is going to look like an older woman in a strapless one-piece swimsuit (it’s actually a bustier and underpants) – trust me, I had to explain to my 13-year-old daughter that the woman on the cover used to man. She wouldn’t have had a clue otherwise. Mr. Walsh’s scare tactics at the beginning of his article made it seem like the youth of the world were going to be exposed to some heinously depraved sexual act.
Give me a freaking break! Our kids are exposed to far more skin and sexualization on the covers of Vogue, Sports Illustrated, and Victoria’s Secret catalogs.
“I can only imagine how women might feel if they were only allowed to be open about it.” I think if he would have conducted a survey of the average woman world-wide, not just in the US, that most women would have an opinion, but that it is really not that big of a deal.
“You don’t get to have a “new” self or another self or a different self or a Self 2.0. Your self is your self.” WRONG. As a person who has been through traumatic life-altering experiences, I know for a fact that a person can have a new “self”. The soul never changes, but the self does. Think about your junior high “self”, your high school “self”, and your current “self. I guarantee they are different. I am most definitely not the “self” I was in high school, or even 10 years ago for that matter. I am a better, more confident “self” with the same soul.
The majority of the world knows that magazine covers and models are photoshopped. It is reality. Do I agree with it? No. Can I do anything about it? Not really. The only thing I can do is reinforce to my daughters that if they want to wear make-up, they should do it for themselves, not to impress anyone or because of some stupid social standard, that their true beauty comes from their soul and personality, not from their made-up faces or clothes they wear.
“This is a battle for reality, people. Get your heads in the game.” Why does this even have to be a battle? Seriously. Why should you care what some stupid Hollywood celebrity does with their sexuality and gender? I work really hard to teach my girls that true compassion is to be kind to EVERYONE regardless of whether or not you share the same views. Why would you choose to be unkind or derogatory just because someone has different beliefs or social views.
“Instinctively, when it comes down to it, where your life and love are concerned, you recognize the difference between a biological woman in all her glory, and a castrated man in all his derangement.” The author states that all straight men wouldn’t choose to marry a transgender man. How does he know? Does he have insight into every single straight man’s brain and know what he is thinking? No.
I know that people have differing opinions, and I can respect those opinions; however, I disagree that calling Caitlyn Jenner a woman is an insult to all women and feminism.
As a matter of fact, the only part of this article I agreed with was the bit about ESPN and the correct pronouns to use when referring to transgenders. If I watch ESPN it is to catch up on sports, I don’t need a grammar lesson.
I think maybe the author should have talked to some women and feminists to get their opinions PRIOR to writing this article. Oh, and incidentally, being a feminist and progressive does not automatically make one a liberal – many of my views are very conservative, I just believe in love and acceptance.
Love and acceptance, people, that’s all you need.
Nature Girl. Mom. Wife. Friend. Photographer. Sewer. Crafter. Artist.
To borrow a phrase – “Yeet Ye Riche”