Caitlyn Jenner’s keynote speech during a luncheon in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday, Nov. 12, had people both inside and outside the venue impassioned.
In a now-deleted video shot outside the Chicago Hilton where the event was held, Jenner, 66, can be seen exiting the hotel as one protester tries to confront the I Am Cait star, yelling, “You are an insult to trans people, you are an insult to women.”
The former Olympian’s response cannot be heard in the video, though it is clear that she is trying to speak calmly to the protester.
Jenner is eventually escorted away from the chaos by her security.
“The chaos outside was a great contrast to the uplifting atmosphere inside where Caitlyn had just given her speech,” B96 Chicago radio personality Showbiz Shelly told Entertainment Tonight. “I thought she handled the situation with poise. By confronting the protesters in the way she did, she emphasized the themes she talked about in her speech. To be respectful, be brave, and stand up for what you believe in.”
Jenner was in town to speak to to a group of 1,000 people at the 7th annual Speaker Series luncheon for the Chicago House, an organization that provides social services for those impacted by HIV/AIDS and other LGBTQ issues.
The protesters outside the hotel were part of a group who called themselves “I Ain’t Cait” on Facebook and said they took issue with the reality star as a representative for the trans community.
“Chicago House, a non-profit who claims to support those of us in the LGBTQ community who experience marginalization, homelessness, and economic exploitation, is holding a fundraiser this Thursday,” the Facebook event page reads.
“Who, you may ask, did they select to speak on the issues facing trans people and especially trans women in our city? Caitlyn Jenner, who lives in a mansion and has a net worth of millions of dollars, while the average trans person has a 41 percent chance of experiencing homelessness and a nearly 50 percent chance of living off less than $10k per year.”
