Hard to please! Raven-Symone revealed on The View on Monday, July 27, that she has some issues with Caitlyn Jenner and her new docuseries I Am Cait.
“I think it’s wonderful, and yes, it needs a light being shined on it,” Symone, 29, who came out herself last year, noted of the LGBTQ community. “When I came out, I didn’t go and go hardcore and be like, ‘I’m going to save the world for LGBT…’ You’ve got to learn it. You’ve got to learn it first, and she’s not, really.”
Outgoing host Rosie Perez then brought up the possibility that the former Olympian, 65, had waited for the opportune moment and platform to explore and shape the conversation.
“Well, I think you can be strategic before you come out as well,” the former Disney star responded. “Before [I came out], I was definitely repping the community, even when I wasn’t saying this is what I was. And I’m not faulting [Caitlyn], because yes, we need [her]. It’s too fast, too soon.”
The Cosby Show alum also shared during the program that she personally does not claim to be an activist for the community. “I can’t be,” Symone said. “I learned from the real gay rights activists. I can only do what I can.”
Jenner, meanwhile, penned a new blog post about a particularly sensitive LGBT issue — titled “A Tremendous Problem Facing the Trans Community” — on Monday.
“One tremendous problem, especially for trans youth, is the suicide rate,” she wrote for her WhoSay series. “A recent study of nearly 100 transgender youth, ages 12 to 24, found that 51 percent reported thinking about suicide, while 30 percent had attempted it at least once in their lives… The latest you might have heard about last night on my show — Kyler Prescott, a 14-year-old trans boy who not only dealt with trans issues, but also suffered from severe depression. Sadly, he wasn’t able to make it between the combination of the two.”
Indeed, on the season premiere of I Am Cait, Jenner met with the late teen’s parents and friends about the startling rates of suicide amongst transgender youth. She spoke with Kyler’s mother, Katharine Prescott, who said that her vocal support wasn’t enough to save her son through the beginning stages of his transition.
“She loved and supported her trans child in so many ways, including getting Kyler’s name and gender marker legally changed,” Jenner wrote, noting Kyler’s transition from female to male. “Sadly, he died by suicide two months ago…. But this is the reality for far too many in the transgender community.”
Kyler’s mom then added to Jenner’s blog post, saying her son grappled with complete acceptance from others — or the lack thereof. She also gave some words of encouragement to parents in similar situations. “Just keep fighting for them,” she wrote in the blog. “Never give up. Be firm with people and help educate them… Love and embrace your child.”
