Now Caitlyn Jenner wants to talk with President Donald Trump after his administration’s decision to rescind Obama-era federal guidelines for transgender students.
Under the guidelines, public school districts had to let transgender students use the bathroom that matched their gender identity. Trump’s administration said the issue is best decided at the state level, a point White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer made repeatedly Thursday.
Jenner, arguably the nation’s most famous transgender person, posted a message on Twitter asking the President to call her. Jenner is also a Republican, as she pointed out in the tweet.
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“I have a message for the trans kids of America: You’re winning,” Jenner said in a 67-second long video message posted on her Twitter page. “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.”
“Now I have a message for the bullies: You’re sick,” Jenner continued. “And because you’re weak, you pick on kids, you pick on women or anyone else you think is vulnerable. Apparently even becoming attorney general isn’t enough to cure some people of their insecurities.”
That is a shot at Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who reportedly won a fight with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to issue the change.
“Finally I have a message for President Trump, from, well, one Republican to another: This is a disaster and you can still fix it. You made a promise to protect the LGBTQ community. Call me,” Jenner said.
It comes one day after Jackie Evancho, who sung at Trump’s inauguration, asked for a meeting with the president to discuss the new transgender guidelines. Evancho’s sister is transgender.
During his campaign, Trump said Jenner could use any bathroom she wanted at Trump Tower. He also said North Carolina should let people “use the bathroom they feel is appropriate” after North Carolina passed HB2, the so-called “bathroom bill.”
After the deadly shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Trump promised to protect members of the LGBTQ community. During his speech at the Republican National Convention, Trump said: “I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.”
Spicer, questioned at the White House on Thursday, said it was a states’ rights issue.
“The President obviously understands the issue and the challenges that especially young children face. He just believes that this is a state issue that needs to be addressed by states,” Spicer said.