Caitlyn Jenner is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech to the U.K. Parliament on diversity next week, and the internet has a few questions about the white, Trump-supporting transgender woman’s inclusion for the event.
BuzzFeed News reported on Friday that Jenner, 68, will give the keynote lecture on May 9 in the House of Commons for the third-annual annual event hosted by British broadcasting network Channel 4. British actors Riz Ahmed and Idris Elba delivered the keynotes in previous years.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 told BuzzFeed News that Jenner’s lecture will kick off a season of programming “on the topic of gender,” which Channel 4 is calling “Genderquake season.”
Genderquake Season – a series of programmes exploring gender.
— Channel 4 (@Channel4) April 30, 2018
Starts Monday 7th May. pic.twitter.com/BNyTC4kcOA
However, despite the effort Channel 4 has made to expand upon gender diversity, specifically for transgender representation, Jenner isn’t exactly known for her activism for trans people, and doesn’t represent trans people in the U.K.
Moreso, Jenner is known critically for her history as a lifelong Republican, even after coming out as trans, and for her support of President Donald Trump. Trump’s administration has continuously attacked protections for transgender people in education, public spaces, and military service.
On Twitter, critics further lambasted Channel 4’s decision to have Jenner speak, citing her lack of support of trans people.
https://twitter.com/MeghanStabler/status/992416911584477186
https://twitter.com/KimRevill/status/992367169894780928
https://twitter.com/christineburns/status/992362155235250176
This is shocking and disgraceful, even in today’s climate of Orwellian madness. Jenner is a total abomination: https://t.co/GDH1gJ0Cdh
— Julie Bindel (@bindelj) May 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/shonfaye/status/992376950298693632
Shon Faye, a trans feminist writer, criticized Channel 4’s decision to host Jenner, tweeting that the problem with the reality star’s involvement “is not just about Jenner being completely out of touch with the current toxic conversation in Britain or 95 [percent] of trans people’s experiences. It is that journalists and politicians are seeing us, still, as sensational media objects. Not peers. Or hires.”
READ MORE:
- Trans and nonbinary people explain what gender dysphoria feels like
- Ending violence against trans people starts with respecting them in everyday life
- A guide to understanding cisgender privilege
https://twitter.com/shonfaye/status/992378577105707009
https://twitter.com/D_Shariatmadari/status/992355985242099712
Do any #trans people actually want Caitlyn Jenner as a spokes person? I know it’s not my place to say that she shouldn’t be but from my lane there seems to be better spokes people such as Laverne Cox and Ian Harvey! #KeynoteOnDiversity
— Connie (Moonlit Witch Version) (@n0vember_flush) May 4, 2018
“The aim of the Channel 4 Diversity Lecture is to raise awareness and stimulate public debate about diversity issues,” a spokesperson for the broadcaster told BuzzFeed News. “Caitlyn Jenner is one of the most high profile transgender people in the world and her transition brought transgender issues into the mainstream, helping to stimulate debate and increase awareness.”
