I was unexpectedly excited to see the new Vanity Fair cover featuring Caitlyn Jenner.

Unexpectedly mostly because I’m one of the probably millions of people out there who remember Bruce Jenner’s Olympic success vividly, but could give two hoots about any of the Jenner/Kardashian clan.

That said, I’m a huge supporter of LGBT rights—and equality in general—and this is an exciting opportunity to really talk about what gender and gender identity actually are.

I studied gender in college and it was fascinating. Truly. I think many people don’t identify as completely “woman” or “man,” and the idea that gender and sexuality are fluid and not black-and-white, concrete, this-is-how-it-must-be categories is both profound and simple all at once.

But everyone is missing the point with Caitlyn Jenner and one person is making headlines by pointing this out.

Orange Is the New Black star and transgender icon Laverne Cox made her own headlines on Time magazine almost exactly a year ago. Recently, she took to her Tumblr account to say the one quote that is making its own rounds in the news about the transition of Bruce Jenner to Caitlyn.

“Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities. The love and devotion she has for her family and that they have for her. Her courage to move past denial into her truth so publicly. These things are beyond beautiful to me.”

What’s critical about Cox’s words is that it is great to both witness and support the photos and media attention given to both Caitlyn Jenner and herself, but that doing so only in the form of highlighting beauty does not get to the heart of supporting the larger transgender cause.

She notes, too, that being interested only in the traditionally beautiful appearance of a trans woman means risking fetishizing.

She also highlights another important aspect of this conversation.

“Most trans folks don’t have the privileges Caitlyn and I have now have,” she wrote. “It is those trans folks we must continue to lift up, get them access to healthcare, jobs, housing, safe streets, safe schools and homes for our young people. We must lift up the stories of those most at risk, statistically trans people of color who are poor and working class.”

She finishes up her post by offering that, “I hope, as I know Caitlyn does, that the love she is receiving can translate into changing hearts and minds about who all trans people are as well as shifting public policies to fully support the lives and well being of all of us. The struggle continues…”

Read the full Tumblr post:

On May 29, 2014, the issue of timemagazine magazine which proclaimed the “Transgender Tipping Point” was revealed with me on the cover. June 1, 2015 a year and 3 days later, Caitlyn Jenner’s vanityfair cover was revealed proclaiming #CallMeCaitlyn I am so moved by all the love and support Caitlyn is receiving.

It feels like a new day, indeed, when a trans person can present her authentic self to the world for the first time and be celebrated for it so universally. Many have commented on how gorgeous Caitlyn looks in her photos, how she is “slaying for the Gods.” I must echo these comments in the vernacular, “Yasss Gawd! Werk Caitlyn! Get it!”

But this has made me reflect critically on my own desires to ‘work a photo shoot’, to serve up various forms of glamour, power, sexiness, body affirming, racially empowering images of the various sides of my black, trans womanhood.

I love working a photo shoot and creating inspiring images for my fans, for the world and above all for myself. But I also hope that it is my talent, my intelligence, my heart and spirit that most captivate, inspire, move and encourage folks to think more critically about the world around them. Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities. The love and devotion she has for her family and that they have for her. Her courage to move past denial into her truth so publicly.

These things are beyond beautiful to me. A year ago when my Time magazine cover came out I saw posts from many trans folks saying that I am “drop dead gorgeous” and that that doesn’t represent most trans people. (It was news to be that I am drop dead gorgeous but I’ll certainly take it).

But what I think they meant is that in certain lighting, at certain angles I am able to embody certain cisnormative beauty standards. Now, there are many trans folks because of genetics and/or lack of material access who will never be able to embody these standards. More importantly many trans folks don’t want to embody them and we shouldn’t have to to be seen as ourselves and respected as ourselves. It is important to note that these standards are also infomed by race, class and ability among other intersections. I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can.

This is why we need diverse media representations of trans folks to multiply trans narratives in the media and depict our beautiful diversities. I started #TransIsBeautiful as a way to celebrate all those things that make trans folks uniquely trans, those things that don’t necessarily align with cisnormative beauty standards.

For me it is necessary everyday to celebrate every aspect of myself especially those things about myself that don’t align with other people’s ideas about what is beautiful. #TransIsBeautiful is about, whether you’re trans or not, celebrating all those things that make us uniquely ourselves. Most trans folks don’t have the privileges Caitlyn and I have now have. It is those trans folks we must continue to lift up, get them access to healthcare, jobs, housing, safe streets, safe schools and homes for our young people. We must lift up the stories of those most at risk, statistically trans people of color who are poor and working class. I have hoped over the past few years that the incredible love I have received from the public can translate to the lives of all trans folks.

Trans folks of all races, gender expressions, ability, sexual orientations, classes, immigration status, employment status, transition status, genital status etc.. I hope, as I know Caitlyn does, that the love she is receiving can translate into changing hearts and minds about who all trans people are as well as shifting public policies to fully support the lives and well being of all of us.

The struggle continues…

Relephant: 

Trans Male Leads Men’s Health Magazine’s “Ultimate Guy Search.”

It’s Not Easy Being Trans: Why Addressing Assigned Birth Gender Matters.

Author: Jennifer White 

Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Wiki Commons