celebrity

Caitlyn Jenner to Donald Trump: 'You made a promise to protect us. Call me.'

US President Donald Trump has removed federal protection of transgender public school students and Caitlyn Jenner is not about it.

Former President Barack Obama introduced federal guidelines for transgender children’s use of bathrooms in public schools. Now President Trump has reversed that decision, leaving each state to decide on their own transgender bathroom policies.

Jenner took to Twitter to express her dismay:

Shortly after Jenner’s tweet the White House held a press conference to discuss the decision, with Press Secretary Sean Spicer saying the issue would be better handled by each state because there were “procedural issues” with Obama’s initiative to give transgender children the right to use the bathroom of their choice.

ADVERTISEMENT

He also said there wasn’t an adequate “comment period” by teachers and other experts on the initiative.

“As I mentioned, it’s a state-right issue,” Spicer said. “I think we do have to recognise that children do enjoy rights from anti-bullying statutes that are in almost every state. And that there’s a difference between being compassionate for individuals and children who are struggling with something and wanting to make sure they are protected, and that being done, and I think that the President has a big heart as we’ve talked about in a lot of other issues and there’s a big difference.

“Personally he addressed this issue when it came up with respect to one of his properties but he also believes that’s not a Federal Government issue. It’s an issue left to the state.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Jenner supported Donald Trump during his campaign for the presidency saying she believed he’d be better for women.

She told STAT, “Everybody looks at the Democrats as being better with these [LGBT] issues. But Trump seems to be very much for women. He seems very much behind the LGBT community because of what happened in North Carolina with the bathroom issue. He backed the LGBT community. But in Trump’s case, there’s a lot more unknowns. With Hillary, you pretty much know what you’re gonna get with the LGBT community.”

The transgender bathroom issue in public schools is an important one because some children who are transgender have been subjected to bullying. This is at the heart of Jenner’s quest to ensure the White House continues to exercise influence over the states when it comes to this issue.

Jenner finished her video with a call to action for those concerned about the issue.

“I have a message for the trans kids of America. You’re winning. I know it doesn’t feel like it today or every day, but you’re winning. Very soon we will win full freedom nationwide and it’s going to be with bipartisan support. You can help by checking out the National Center for Transgender Equality and letting Washington hear you loud and clear.”