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    Rose McGowan, Caitlyn Jenner & Celebrity Catfights

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    2015 has been the best year for celebrity catfights that we've had in the past decade. Between Katy and Taylor, Taylor and Nicki and Nicki and Miley, we've seen our fair share of heated debates and nasty retorts; and while Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson may have switched things up somewhat, most of these tabloid trashings were between females.

    Caitlyn Jenner and Rose McGowan are the participants in this week's celebrity catfight, which stems this time around a controversial speech that Jenner made at the Glamour Woman of the Year Awards last week, and which McGowan responded to yesterday via a Facebook post that she later deleted.

    Speaking at the awards show which celebrates powerful women, Jenner made waves when she allegedly said that "the hardest part about being a woman is figuring out what to wear". It should be noted, however, that Jenner appeared to contradict herself in the very same speech, when she stated:

    Quote

    It’s more than that. I’m kind of at this point in my life where I’m trying to figure this womanhood thing out. It is more than hair, makeup, clothes, all that kind of stuff. There’s an element here, that I’m still kind of searching for. And I think that’ll take a while. Because I think as far as gender, we’re all on a journey. We’re all learning and growing about ourselves. And I feel the same way.

    Perhaps McGowan only read the headline, or maybe she thought that Caitlyn was simply trying to backtrack - either way, the Charmed actress took to Facebook to post, and later delete, her own fiery reaction to the speech, which she found to belittle and diminish the hardships of the female experience.

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    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 f**king 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. 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 f**king shot.

    She later justified her comments somewhat with another post, this time on Twitter.

    What's more saddening is the fact that McGowan's post sparked a string of transphobic comments online. Missy Fields stated that "All I have to say is a lot more people deserved this award than Bruce, Caitlin Jenner. He makes me sick," while Mary Dodge said "I think it's insulting to all women especially to the hero in New York. Come on he is a man not a woman and never will be...he should return the award!" Dodge was referring here to the NYPD police officer Moira Smith, who was posthumously given the same award way back in 2001 for helping evacuate people from the World Trade Center during 9/11. Her husband at the time, James Smith, returned the award to Glamour this week, saying that choosing Jenner as the latest recipient of the award was insulting to his wife's memory. "Was there no woman in America, or the rest of the world, more deserving than this man?" Smith asked in a public Facebook post alongside an image of the trophy. It's interesting that when Britney Spears earned the same award in 2003, Smith was content, even though to my knowledge Spears has never worked as a volunteer firegither.

    Admittedly, Jenner's comments may have been poorly thought out or expressed badly - although without a video of the speech, we still don't really know if what she said was in jest, which sounds plausible given her later remarks. But McGowan's post it itself is hugely insensitive to the plights of Jenner and the trans community in general. Her claim that Jenner only "wants to be a woman", when the reality star has made it clear that she in fact is a woman and prefers to be referred to as such, reeks of transphobic nonsense; and her claim that Jenner, who has struggled with presenting as a different gender to the world than she truly is for several decades, is a beneficiary of "male privilege" seems in itself hugely dismissive of how difficult that must have been for Jenner. She also completely overlooks the fact that Jenner has been very open in both her public interviews and reality show about her own sexual awakening and that she is still figuring out what being a woman truly means to her; as well as that she's still learning about how to be a responsible member of the feminist and trans communities.

    At this point, we really expect transphobic abuse to be hurled at public figures like Jenner when it comes to online comment sections on Entertainment Weekly. But it's disappointing to see such a high-profile entertainer like McGowan, who has claimed time and time again that she is an ally of the LGBT community, to stoop to almost the same level. That said, only a few months ago McGowan announced that she would quit acting to focus on her new music career. Maybe all this feud means is that a McGowan and Jenner-helmed sequel to 'Bad Blood' is dropping next week.

    Edited by Countess

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    Caitlyn is a wealthy white woman who spent a majority of her life outwardly as a wealthy white male. The reality of female oppression is something she never had, and never will, have to deal with (excluding transphobic comments) For her to say the hardest part of being a woman is choosing what to wear is fine from her. She's newly transitioned and, like many trans folks, her appearance is extremely important to her, especially in the beginning when they're trying to develope their style. She's also a celebrity who's every move is criticized. She's facing a reality very few people will ever experience. Does she need to be educated? Yes. There's also plenty of cis women who are just as ignorant, if not more so, to issues women face; but, as a newly transitioned woman and her place in society, she shouldn't be deemed the face of feminism or trans awareness. She's still learning what it means to be a woman and unlearning the privileges she gained while living as a man.

    Let's not forget that these awards, like all other, are of kind of bullshit. People keep responding that Cailyn is undeserving because "Kids are fighting cancer! There's female soldiers!"  yet they don't seemed to mind the "undeserving" cis women who have received the award before. Rebel Wilson, Rita Ora and Jessie J are all past winners. Was there this much of a backlash against their wins? Nope. Have either of them done anything to change the world? Nope. Two of them are, at best, the most mediocre singers in pop, the other is only famous for being the 'funny fat girl' in a few extremely shitty movies. Caitlyn also wasn't deemed "Woman Of The Year" she was one of the 25 women given the title. The idea that a trans woman is the woman of the year vs woman of the year seems to piss everyone off. The "real women deserve it more" comments are absolute rubbish and is the exact reasoning behind Caitlyn being chosen for the award. She's coming out in a time where trans acceptance still isn't where it needs to be, hell, people in the lgb community aren't even accepting of trans people, much less the general public. For her to have been in her 60s and making the decision to live her authentic life is extremely brave on her end. We're so easy to give every gay and lesbian that comes out so much love, respect and awards, but are still 20 years behind on trans acceptance, equality and visibility. 

    Also, let's not forget when Rose extremely generalized the gay community and called them out for being not being feminist despite the fact that some feminist tended to be very exclusive, herself included. Inclusive feminism has, for whatever reason, just taken off even in the past few years - though it should've been the core idea from the start. She should probably educate herself on the exclusion gay and trans folks experienced from feminist. Though, many great feminist have fought for the rights of the lgbt community for decades, there's still transphobia amongst some feminist, which is extremely ignorant. I'm a feminist, but I'm willing to call out their transphobic bullshit, Rose's included :morning:

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    5 hours ago, trayertrash said:

    Caitlyn is a wealthy white woman who spent a majority of her life outwardly as a wealthy white male. The reality of female oppression is something she never had, and never will, have to deal with (excluding transphobic comments) For her to say the hardest part of being a woman is choosing what to wear is fine from her. She's newly transitioned and, like many trans folks, her appearance is extremely important to her, especially in the beginning when they're trying to develope their style. She's also a celebrity who's every move is criticized. She's facing a reality very few people will ever experience. Does she need to be educated? Yes. There's also plenty of cis women who are just as ignorant, if not more so, to issues women face; but, as a newly transitioned woman and her place in society, she shouldn't be deemed the face of feminism or trans awareness. She's still learning what it means to be a woman and unlearning the privileges she gained while living as a man.

    Let's not forget that these awards, like all other, are of kind of bullshit. People keep responding that Cailyn is undeserving because "Kids are fighting cancer! There's female soldiers!"  yet they don't seemed to mind the "undeserving" cis women who have received the award before. Rebel Wilson, Rita Ora and Jessie J are all past winners. Was there this much of a backlash against their wins? Nope. Have either of them done anything to change the world? Nope. Two of them are, at best, the most mediocre singers in pop, the other is only famous for being the 'funny fat girl' in a few extremely shitty movies. Caitlyn also wasn't deemed "Woman Of The Year" she was one of the 25 women given the title. The idea that a trans woman is the woman of the year vs woman of the year seems to piss everyone off. The "real women deserve it more" comments are absolute rubbish and is the exact reasoning behind Caitlyn being chosen for the award. She's coming out in a time where trans acceptance still isn't where it needs to be, hell, people in the lgb community aren't even accepting of trans people, much less the general public. For her to have been in her 60s and making the decision to live her authentic life is extremely brave on her end. We're so easy to give every gay and lesbian that comes out so much love, respect and awards, but are still 20 years behind on trans acceptance, equality and visibility. 

    Also, let's not forget when Rose extremely generalized the gay community and called them out for being not being feminist despite the fact that some feminist tended to be very exclusive, herself included. Inclusive feminism has, for whatever reason, just taken off even in the past few years - though it should've been the core idea from the start. She should probably educate herself on the exclusion gay and trans folks experienced from feminist. Though, many great feminist have fought for the rights of the lgbt community for decades, there's still transphobia amongst some feminist, which is extremely ignorant. I'm a feminist, but I'm willing to call out their transphobic bullshit, Rose's included :morning:

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    Agreed with everything you said. Rose is one of those feminists who overly glorifies the movement, while ignoring all the shitty things that feminism has stood for in the past. Let's not forget that there's a large portion of radical feminists, including people like Germaine Greer, who believe that MTF trans people are men in wigs who are trying to "infiltrate" female spaces and take over the female population as a form of male ownership. If Rose wants to be considered as a friend to the trans community she needs to know her own history and not act like the feminist movement is entirely free of criticism.

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    39 minutes ago, Countess said:

     

    Agreed with everything you said. Rose is one of those feminists who overly glorifies the movement, while ignoring all the shitty things that feminism has stood for in the past. Let's not forget that there's a large portion of radical feminists, including people like Germaine Greer, who believe that MTF trans people are men in wigs who are trying to "infiltrate" female spaces and take over the female population as a form of male ownership. If Rose wants to be considered as a friend to the trans community she needs to know her own history and not act like the feminist movement is entirely free of criticism.

    Gloria Steinem, who's been the face of feminism for the past few decades, once made very ignorant comments about transgenderism in the 80s (but is now well educated on the issue and is an ally) When the leader of the movement has been flawed, then the movement has been flawed. You know that I am very pro-feminist and am very vocal about my support of it, but I refuse to be categorized amongst the likes of Rose McGowan and her white washed #alllivesmatter trans exclusive feminism. She'll have my respect when she finally cuts the "trans women don't like what it's like to be a real woman" shit, and discusses our country's racial oppression and misogyny outside of her experience :morning:

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    On 11/20/2015, 3:30:37, trayertrash said:

    Gloria Steinem, who's been the face of feminism for the past few decades, once made very ignorant comments about transgenderism in the 80s (but is now well educated on the issue and is an ally) When the leader of the movement has been flawed, then the movement has been flawed. You know that I am very pro-feminist and am very vocal about my support of it, but I refuse to be categorized amongst the likes of Rose McGowan and her white washed #alllivesmatter trans exclusive feminism. She'll have my respect when she finally cuts the "trans women don't like what it's like to be a real woman" shit, and discusses our country's racial oppression and misogyny outside of her experience :morning:

    Exactly. People like you and I are feminists on the basis of morality and ethics rather than feminists who subscribe to a specific movement and are unable to see its flaws. That's why we're able to have unbiased and tolerant views while Rose gets caught up in petty little shit. :magic: 

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