Caitlyn Jenner: Trans people don’t like me “because I’m white, I have a job”

Caitlyn Jenner says that her trans critics don’t like her because she is white and “works for a living.”

The polarizing media personality and failed Republican gubernatorial candidate made the incendiary claim in a new interview with U.K. paper the Evening Standard while promoting a new docu-series, House of Kardashian. Celebrity correspondent Tina Campbell asked Jenner about a critic “from the trans community” featured in the series.

Related:

Caitlin Jenner says the “radical left” has “hijacked & politicized” trans people by supporting them

Despite being trans and a former athlete, Caitlin Jenner has repeatedly spoken out against trans girls participating in sports.

“First of all, I have met so many wonderful trans people that just do wonderful things and they’re great people,” Jenner replied. “But there is a portion, because of social media, there’s a very small portion that has a very loud voice, and I certainly have seen that.”

Never Miss a Beat

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.

Daily

Weekly

Good News

Jenner, a Republican, has been criticized by advocates for transgender rights for her vocal opposition to trans women and girls competing in women’s and girls’ sports. Earlier this year, the former Olympic gold medal winner launched Fairness First, a political action committee that aims “to fight the radical gender ideology, put parental rights at the forefront of education, and keep boys out of women’s sports.”

“I’ve had trans people picket events that I’m at, stuff like that, and be very mean on social media,” she told Campbell. “They don’t like [me] because I’m white, I have a job, I actually work for a living, I’ve been successful.”

When Campbell suggested that the trans community may have expected Jenner to be “a messiah” when she came out in 2015, the former Olympian explained that before coming out as trans, she thought, “Maybe it’s time to take care of myself right now. And maybe in doing that I can make a difference.”

“I certainly did feel that when I first came out,” she continued.

“I started a foundation, gave away millions, $2.5 million to trans organizations,” she said, referring to the now-defunct Caitlyn Jenner Foundation. “And honestly, I got so much hate for that.”

“I don’t wanna be a trans activist, that’s not what I do,” Jenner added. “I wanna be a trans example.”

She explained that she wants to be an example to people suffering from gender dysphoria that “you can be whoever you may be right now and you can go through with it and your life can be good.”

Jenner added that her life is good now because she can be herself. “I don’t have to lie to anybody, I don’t have to keep secrets—I felt that my whole life,” she said.

At the same time, however, prominent members of Jenner’s political party are making it harder for trans people to be themselves by passing laws banning gender-affirming care for young people, restricting which bathrooms and other public facilities they can use, passing vaguely worded anti-drag laws that critics say can be interpreted as outlawing transness, and generally making it harder and more dangerous for trans people to exist openly in society.  

But Jenner doesn’t seem particularly concerned about that. “This is me, like it or not,” she told Campbell. “If you don’t like it fine, I don’t need you.”