It’s hard to believe that Caitlyn Jenner introduced herself to the world in that instantly iconic silk corset only four months ago. Since July, she’s broken the President’s Twitter record, starred in a reality show of her own, delivered an emotional speech on courage at the ESPY Awards, and has time and again proved she can keep up with the best dressed of the Kardashian clan. So it was unsurprising to most when Glamour magazine named her their “Woman of the Year.”
The honor is granted annually to “the planet’s most remarkable female leaders,” in the words of Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive. It’s a description that trans advocate Caitlyn certainly lives up to. But her comment during her acceptance speech that the “hardest part about being a woman is figuring out what to wear” has sparked controversy.
While the remark could have been swept under the rug as a non-LOL-worthy joke, outspoken feminist and actress-turned-director Rose McGowan penned a vilifying open letter citing her problems with the comment:
“Caitlyn Jenner you do not understand what being a woman is about at all. 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 fucking learn that we have had a VERY different experience than your life of male privilege. Woman of the year? No, not until you wake up and join the fight,” she continued. “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 fucking shot.”
Though Rose’s Facebook post has since been deleted, Caitlyn is certainly getting an unfortunately all too real experience of being a woman. Can we stop tearing each other down?
Credits
Text Taylor Ford
Image via @glamourmag