Caitlyn Jenner had a nasty confrontation with several protesters at a recent event in Chicago, Illinois. The cameras were rolling as an activist shouted at Jenner hurtful sentences like “you are an insult” and “you don’t understand us.”
On Thursday, Caitlyn Jenner attended the annual Chicago House fundraiser luncheon at the Hilton hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The I Am Cait star delivered a speech that was applauded by many, but several members of the transgender community, who were at the charity event, were angered by remarks Jenner made on her reality show where she claimed that the poor should be less dependent on social services.
Chicago House provides housing for those impacted by HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ marginalization and has one of America’s most “comprehensive social service and support programs for transgender individuals, the TransLife Center.” The 65-year-old former Olympian, who is a proud Republican, was verbally assaulted by an activist named Monica James. The 43-year-old transgender woman yelled:
“You are an insult to trans people. You have no right to represent us. You are an insult. … We have been assaulted by police … We have been violated by the system.”
At some point during the confrontation, Jenner tried to put her hand on James’ shoulder prompting her to yell: “Don’t touch me.” James, who carried a sign that read, “Liberation not miss-representation,” went on to add:
“Make the services and make this movement and this plea for trans tolerance intentional and direct for the people who are facing the violence every day on the streets, the people who are being discriminated against on the basis of their gender and their race at the same time. She can’t speak to those struggles.It defaces the real truth behind transitioning.”
ET! staff members, who were filming the event/speech for the second season of Jenner’s reality show, claimed the mini-fight was not staged, and they were not aware that she was going to talk to the angry activists. A production source said:
“We didn’t know Caitlyn was going to talk back to the protesters… None of it was staged.”
B96 Chicago radio personality Showbiz Shelly, who witnessed the confrontation, told the media that it is a pity that the drama overshadowed the powerful speech. Shelly stated:
“The chaos outside was a great contrast to the uplifting atmosphere inside where Caitlyn had just given her speech. I thought she handled the situation with poise. By confronting the protesters in the way she did, she emphasized the themes she talked about in her speech. To be respectful, be brave and stand up for what you believe in.”
Via Facebook, the protesters slammed Jenner for her words:
“Who, you may ask, did they select to speak on the issues facing trans people and especially trans women in our city? Caitlyn Jenner. Caitlyn Jenner, who lives in a mansion and has a net worth of millions of dollars, while the average trans person has a 41 percent chance of experienceing homelessness and a nearly 50 percent chance of living off less than $10k per year.
Caitlyn Jenner, who said in a segment on her hit new reality TV series I Am Cait, regarding people who rely on social services to get by: ‘You don’t want people to get totally dependent on it. That’s when they get into trouble. ‘Why should I work? You know, I’ve got a few bucks, I’ve got my room paid for.”
If you think Chicago House’s shameless pandering to the trans community for mediocre representation, embodied by a clueless rich white woman who thinks disenfranchised trans women of color should just pluck themselves up off the street and stop being so lazy, is an insult and a disgrace, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Meet us in the lobby Thursday to tell Chicago House, Caitlyn Jenner, and all her supporters that Caitlyn Jenner doesn’t represent trans people! Stand up and say: #IAintCait!”
You can watch the exchange below.
