A recent Twitter post, now deleted, from our friend Bette Midler, shown beautifully above, has her in some hot water with the Transgender community for comments that some people say are "Trans-phobic". I'm concerned about something when people do things like this. If you know ANYTHING AT ALL about Bette, you know that she is probably the most supportive human being outside of the LGBTQ that has ever lived. To say something like "Bette is Transphobic" is so far off base that I am worried about what gay youth is learning about our history.
At the forefront of the AIDS epidemic, this was the face of the disease and hope long before there was Magic Johnson or even Ryan White. Delivering meals to AIDS victims no matter what their gender was, trans or not! She has led the fight for equality for our ENTIRE community for decades and is the last human being on this planet that does not believe in the rights of transgendered people. Perhaps the comments made by Bette were more of a comment on society and stardom than they were on the community that she embraces with open arms and an open heart. I believe that Bette is so comfortable with transgendered people that what she had to say was about the ridiculousness of what is worthy of our attention when there are so many other issues that inhibit the transgendered community besides whom has a television show. She isn't commenting about fear, she's commenting about values of people accepting people and not body parts. You see when you have fought as long as the Divine one, these kinds of matters pale in comparison to the high rate of murders of transgendered black women in society today. It is more important that transgendered and gay youth learn more about how to be accepted than whether or not a television show is cancelled.
Caitlyn Jenner has been given the golden key to the LGBTQ kingdom. A key and kingdom forged by the blood, sweat and tears of the woman above. Caitlyn has stated that she is going to change the world's opinion about transgendered people and that trans youth will grow up in a better world than she did. When society places more emphasis on what Caitlyn is wearing more than whom she is helping, then that promise isn't really being fulfilled. When the gay community opens its arms and welcomes you with love and unlimited acceptance, they expect the same in return despite personal opinions on love or marriage. We love Caitlyn for who she is, now she needs to show us what she can do besides reality television. The transition is complete, now it is time to make change. The LGBTQ community is about being who you are and loving who you want unabashedly. I think the second part of that creed is what Caitlyn needs to be more sensitive about. I value marrying someone I love and marrying them. I love a man. Respect that a person can love a person no matter what the gender is, because we accepted Caitlyn for her choice to change her own gender to be correct. It's a give and give back situation.
If you were to put up a scale of human rights and have Bette Midler on one side and Caitlyn Jenner on the other, I think that the choice, because of effort and history goes to Bette. I think even Caitlyn would agree. To say she is anything phobic in our community is a slap in our own faces. Don't fight the people that love us too...fight for equality for all.
I know I love Bette Midler, she's made an effort to keep me alive for decades. I want to love Caitlyn the same. Two very good people for our community to respect. Let's hold our heads higher and keep perspective on whom has the courage to make the changes to make us equal. I think both have the best chances. Accepting each other comes from respecting, not necessarily believing in, each others values.
