Caitlyn Jenner Is Liked Because She’s Pretty

While it would be hard for you to find a transgender person who isn’t at least partially happy about the acceptance that the media and population in America and around the world has had in general for Caitlyn Jenner, this enthusiasm needs to be put into perspective.

The main question that should be asked is why Jenner was so well received? Not only that, but would have she been just as well received if she wasn’t as good looking as she is?

While this generally very positive response is a fantastic affirmation of her gender identity, it is important to talk about the fact that the positive responsive is no doubt very intrinsically linked to the fact that her new image abides by all of the rules of conventional beauty and the standards that society has placed on what a woman should look like.

And while it’s great that Jenner was able to achieve this look, it is important to not forget about all of the transgender people all over the world who do not have the money to achieve such a look.

You can now read the entire @CaitlynJenner profile and see all of the remarkable #AnnieLeibovitz photographs on VF.com. #CallMeCaitlyn

A photo posted by Vanity Fair (@vanityfair) on Jun 25, 2015 at 10:44am PDT

This financial barrier is very real for a vast majority of transgender women and men in the world. So the questions that should be asked is – are we celebrating her transition, or are we celebrating her economic privilege?

Sure, there will always be someone out there who will make fun of the way Jenner looks, but this is nothing compared to the disparaging remarks about their appearances that a very large majority of transgender women are subjected to every single day.

Regardless of prior appearance, there is only a very small number of transgender women in the community who have the financial means to pull off a transition like Jenner’s. Most transgender women and men will never have the money they need to fund a sexual reassignment surgery, leaving them in limbo not only physically, but emotionally.

That’s why when you look at the entire situation and at Jenner’s successful transition, you also need to be aware of the financial conditions that are necessary in order to facilitate such a transition.

It’s wrong to assume that Jenner is more of a woman than any other transgender woman. And while her womanhood, and the womanhood of all other transgender women can never be doubted or questioned, it’s hard to deny the fact that the Jenner is perceived by the majority to be more of a woman because of her appearance.

Just because she has the means to present herself to the public in a way that makes the general population feel less uncomfortable about accepting her as a woman, does not mean that she deserves to be accepted more than any other transgender woman.

Just because she adheres to the rules and regulations of conventional beauty more than most other transgender women, doesn’t mean that she is, in fact, more feminine than someone who does not have the financial means to make themselves look that “womanly.”

Our July cover star Caitlyn Jenner kinda broke the Internet today. Tap the link in our bio to download and read the full article now. Photograph by Annie Leibovitz. #CallMeCaitlyn

A photo posted by Vanity Fair (@vanityfair) on Jun 1, 2015 at 3:17pm PDT