Rose McGowan: Caitlyn Jenner Doesn’t ‘Understand What Being a Woman Is About’
Add Rose McGowan's name to the list of people who take issue with Caitlyn Jenner's Glamour Woman of the Year award — but it's not because Caitlyn Jenner's transgender, it's because she's Caitlyn Jenner.
While Jenner's acceptance speech that evening reaffirmed the fact that she "has so much to learn" about feminism and what it means to be a transgender female, McGowan took particular issue with a remark Jenner made during a conversation with Buzzfeed backstage at the event.
"The hardest part about being a woman is figuring out what to wear," Jenner told the site. It should be noted that, while that comment is somewhat irritating to this writer too, Buzzfeed had asked, "What's the hardest part for you about being a woman?" The for you in that question is important — as a wealthy white transgender woman whose main female connections are the Kardashians, Jenner's appearance may indeed be a top concern for her. The athlete and reality star has previously admitted she's been lucky to avoid issues often experienced by the transgender community, such as higher levels of abuse and homelessness.
McGowan perceived Jenner's comment as an out-of-touch minimization of the graver struggles women face daily, and she vented her anger in a since-deleted Facebook post.
"Caitlyn Jenner you do not understand what being a woman is about at all," the actress and occasional singer wrote. "You want to be a woman and stand with us — well learn us. We are more than deciding what to wear. We are more than the stereotypes foisted upon us by people like you."
"You're a woman now? Well f---cking learn that we have had a VERY different experience than your life of male privilege," she continued. "Woman of the year? No, not until you wake up and join the fight. Being a woman comes with a lot of baggage. The weight of unequal history. You'd do well to learn it. You'd do well to wake up. Woman of the year? Not by a long f---cking shot."
She added, "Let me amend this by saying I'm happy for what she's doing visibility wise for the trans community, and I'm happy she's living her truth, but comments like hers have consequences for other women."
"How we are perceived, what our values are, and leads to more stereotyping. If you know you are going to be speaking to media about being a woman, maybe come to understand our struggles."
Do you think McGowan has a point about Caitlyn's presumptions regarding appearance, femininity and the real "hard parts" of being a woman — or is Caitlyn just doing the best she can? Share your thoughts.
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