Given the ratings disaster of Season One of I Am Cait, the E! Channel show dedicated to chronicling the transgender life of the man formerly known as Bruce Jenner, the producers and directors of the show starring America’s most famous “self-identifier” decided to begin Season Two by highlighting the aspect of Jenner’s life far more controversial, far more scandalous than even transgenderism: the fact that Jenner identifies as a Republican.
Sunday night’s episode, titled ‘Politically Incorrect’ follows Jenner, and the transgender friends that the E! Channel hired for him, on a bus ride to the Grand Canyon. The trip just happens to coincide with the Democrat Debate, and the group could conceivably attend the debate. Except, well, there’s a problem:
>> Candis: I think that we need to stop and maybe talk to Hillary.
>> Caitlyn: Democratic National Debate.
>> Chandi: Right.
>> Candis: Can't wait. Front row!
>> Chandi: We're so excited that Cait's even gonna go.
>> Candis: I'm excited for Cait.
>> Chandi: Right. And sit and listen to the Democrats.
>> Caitlyn: It's the last place I want to be.
>> Chandi: I know. I know. One of those things you're-you're being open to and listening to...
>> Caitlyn: We need both sides.
>> Chandi: Right. We need both sides.
>> Caitlyn: And if we're unfortunate enough to get Hillary as our next president, we need her on our side.
>> Chandi: Right.
>> Caitlyn: Although she won't be.
>> Jenny: Which Republican would?
>> Caitlyn: She could care less about women. She cares about herself.
>> Jenny: Which-which Republican candidate do you think would be most supportive of transgendered people?
>> Caitlyn: Um... All of them. Yeah. They don't... The Republi... "Oh, I hate trans people" or "I hate gays." And you don't... Nothing of that. They do more, "I want every... I want a thriving economy so every trans person has a job."
>> Candis: (Sighs) Caitlyn, what am I gonna do?
So, with the trans road-trip buzz destroyed by the mere suggestion that jobs might be more important for trans people than being able to use a women’s bathroom, the group then cornered Jenner on the party bus, as news of the defeat of the Houston HERO ordinance came down. Which, of course, led to nothing but insightful, top drawer debate:
>> Jenny: So, Caitlyn, I want to come back to you on this because it's worth asking you how you feel, as a conservative, about this.
>> Caitlyn: I don't think it was presented well to the public.
>> Jenny: But it was Republicans and conservatives who said--
>> Caitlyn: Oh, please, it's not, don't go there. Just as much the Democrats. It was not, please, please, please, please.
>> Jenny: Caity, no, Caity, it-it's true. Caity, why are you insisting that?
>> Caitlyn: No, it's not! No, it's not.
>> Jenny: It's not the truth?
>> Caitlyn: Republicans and the conservatives are not these horrible people out there trying to oppress people.
>> Jenny: I didn't say they were terrible people. In this particular, in this--
>> Caitlyn: They're-they're not.
>> Jenny: No, I know that. I-I come from a Republican family.
>> Caitlyn: Sometimes these girls think now that I've transitioned that I, everything has to change. You can't be conservative anymore. You have to be a liberal. Um, no, I don't believe that. I think, uh, I can keep, um, all of my views the same, uh, 'cause I feel in my heart that that's the best way to go. I don't know anything of what they said down there, but I'm not blaming it on Republicans and conservatives, okay?
>> Jenny: Well, I think you need to take a look at that.
>> Caitlyn: Yeah. Oh, please.
>> Jenny: No, you, please.
>> Caitlyn: That's why you all need to go with me...
>> Jenny: No, you-you, please! You need to look at it, Caity.
>> Caitlyn: This is why you all need-- No. No, I'm not gonna identify that. We're not going there.
>> Jenny: We are going there. That's why we're on this trip.
>> Caitlyn: And-- Oh, God.
“We are going there, that’s why we’re on this trip…” Kind of sums it up doesn’t it? Why should someone’s sexual identification change the way they feel about politics? Why should mind control and labeling, which trans people claim to hate, be essential in the transgender community? Unless, the entire purpose of your movement is political. Then it would make sense.
That makes sense.
But Jenner wasn’t done:
>> Jenny: So you’re telling me Republicans support rights for transgender people? You're telling me that the people--
>> Caitlyn: I think they believe in the Constitution and the freedom of the Constitution.
>> Jenny: So who overturned--?
>> Caitlyn: The-the public! Because they're uninformed! The politicians didn't even vote on it. They just put it on the ballot.
>> Kate: Wait, there was an ad that was put forward by the former head of the Republican party in some county in Texas, and it's a horrible ad about a man who's standing outside the bathroom waiting for a little girl to go in.
>> Caitlyn: Oh, yeah, I know, yeah, they, they use the fear, he may have been Republican, I don't know, he might've been a Democrat. I don't know and so--
>> Jenny: No, it was not a Democrat. "No men in women's bathrooms."
>> Caitlyn: Yeah, I agree. It just so happens he happened to be a Republican. If he was a democrat that would've made my argument much easier.
>> Chandi: It would've made your argument a lot easier.
>> Candis: Yeah, but there's never been a Democrat who's really stuck her neck out like that to take a stand against trans people. It might not be a coincidence.
>> Caitlyn: This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is a humanity issue and it's been--
>> Jenny: It is, but so far, it's been a Republican issue to-to turn people--
>> Caitlyn: It has not.
>> Jenny: We have 15 Republicans running for president, none of whom had stated publically that they're for trans rights and many whom have stated that they are against us.
>> Caitlyn: They're just not talking about it. For the Republicans, it's not a big issue. The economy's the big issue. They're just worried about $18 trillion of debt. Those are all those, much bigger issues.
>> Jenny: There is a faction of people who uses fear of trans people, fear of gay people to bring people to the polls and-and it's generally--
>> Caitlyn: But the Republicans, I don't feel like they're out to get us.
>> Jenny: The Constitution.
>> Caitlyn: Every conservative guy out there believes in everybody's rights.
>> Jenny: That has never happened! That is a lie! That has never happened!
>> Candis: I mean, it is frustrating to me that Cait doesn't see the obvious. I mean, it's not like we're saying, "No, the sky's pink. No, really the sky is pink." I don't know how to show her without demeaning her or making her feel less than, because her party that she represents doesn't believe in who we are as trans people.
>> Jenny: You said you wanted to know what is, uh, your life as a woman gonna be like? What does it mean to be a woman besides hair and make-up? It means support for a woman's life. It means women's health care.
>> Caitlyn: No, uh, the Republicans just look at it very much differently. They're just worried about much bigger issues than the trans issues.
>> Jenny: The stakes are very high. If she doesn't listen to the rest of the community, I think she's gonna find herself isolated and irrelevant. As a leader, you need to embrace the fight for women's, for women's lives.
>> Caitlyn: Yes, but we're 18 and a half trillion dollars in debt-- our economy is going to collapse. The Democrats are destroying the country. They should be really careful.
>> Kate: Oh, dear.
>> Caitlyn: Okay?
This is rich. There’s nothing better than the party of inclusion and acceptance, threatening “isolation and irrelevance” simply because someone dares to think differently. However, this is by far the best ever episode of this show that I have been contractually obligated to watch.
Congratulations I Am Cait, it took you until the first episode of the second season to do it. But you have my attention.
