Santorum Agrees: Bruce Jenner is a Woman

[MFDOOM]

Former Pennsylvania senator and potential Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said that he believes Bruce Jenner -- a former Olympic athlete who recently came out on national television as transgender -- is a woman.

"If he says he's a woman, then he's a woman," Santorum said to reporters Saturday at the South Carolina Republican convention. "My responsibility as a human being is to love and accept everybody. Not to criticize people for who they are."

But when Jenner, now a reality television star along with his family, said "for all intents and purposes, I am a woman" in an ABC News interview last Friday, Santorum responded that the public should react in a "compassionate and respectful" manner.

"I can criticize, and I do, for what people do, for their behavior. But as far as for who they are, you have to respect everybody, and these are obviously complex issues for businesses, for society," the former Republican lawmaker said. "And I think we have to look at it in a way that is compassionate and respectful of everybody."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rick-san...he-is-a-woman/

Also, Bruce Jenner identifies as a conservative Republican trans-woman:

Among the more surprising revelations, Bruce told his guest he is both a Christian and a Republican. He admitted he has at times been concerned his lifestyle puts him at odds with the Bible–in particular, the book of Deuteronomy, which classifies a man dressing as a woman as sin.

“I would sit in church and always wonder, ‘In God’s eyes, how does he see me?’ … Maybe this is my cause in life … This is why God put me on this earth… to deal with this issue.”

When asked about President Obama’s support for LGBT rights during the State of the Union, the former Olympian admitted he is not a big fan of Obama.

“I’ve always been more on the conservative side,” he said.

A puzzled Sawyer asked him if he identifies as a Republican, to which Jenner answered, “”Yeah. Is that a bad thing? I believe in the Constitution.”

http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywo...-i-am-a-woman/



Personally, I see this as a huge problem. Whether or not they're being sincere, Republicans are conspiring to make a grab for the LGBT vote by sympathizing with trans people. This is misleading, because Republican policies will never lead to help for trans-people to get the government to assist with their right to their gender identity. Not every trans person has Bruce Jenner's fortune.

[anveena]

How dare those republicans stop being bigots towards trans people!

[nextormento]

You are upset that people are sympathetic towards trans people?

[Jaxi]

Personally, I see this as a huge problem. Whether or not they're being sincere, Republicans are conspiring to make a grab for the LGBT vote by sympathizing with trans people. This is misleading, because Republican policies will never lead to help for trans-people to get the government to assist with their right to their gender identity. Not every trans person has Bruce Jenner's fortune.

A Republican could announce a cure to HIV tomorrow and offer to give away all of his research to maximize the world's access to the drug, and you would still find a way to despise him.

[Arewn]

I think his concern isn't that they are being sympathetic, but instead that they are pretending to be sympathetic in order to get votes, but thereafter won't actually do anything to help trans-people.

[Calfredd]

A Republican could announce a cure to HIV tomorrow and offer to give away all of his research to maximize the world's access to the drug, and you would still find a way to despise him.

I would have thought Republicans finally caving in on these specific social issues would have been a positive thing but oh well I guess.

- - - Updated - - -

I think his concern isn't that they are being sympathetic, but instead that they are pretending to be sympathetic in order to get votes, but thereafter won't actually do anything to help trans-people.

Yeah but if anything should out them out as being insincere, they'll get major flak for it and have their reputation shredded. This means that it would be harder to try for these votes. I would think they would try to keep up the facade (I'm willing to believe it as such instead of sincerity) so as to expand their base. I would also think the fringe religious portion would be the only opposition to it.

[Gumboy]

I think his concern isn't that they are being sympathetic, but instead that they are pretending to be sympathetic in order to get votes, but thereafter won't actually do anything to help trans-people.

You mean like how democrats originally only pretended to care about black people to get their votes?

You should look up how LBJ thought of black people in private, compared to how he spoke in public.

[nextormento]

I think his concern isn't that they are being sympathetic, but instead that they are pretending to be sympathetic in order to get votes, but thereafter won't actually do anything to help trans-people.

So, let's get this right.
OP's concern is that some brand of politics is bad if not sympathetic and bad if sympathetic.
Trans people are but pawns in OP's political war. That's quite the transphobic attitude.

[Belize]

How dare those republicans stop being bigots towards trans people!

Yeah, fuck progressiveness!

...Wait a minute...

[Nachturnal]

Oh no... a Republican who isn't so close minded.... CONSPIRACY!

Jesus dude, how cynical and paranoid can you be?

A member of a typically unsympathetic party is being sympathetic and you're calling foul play. You give Democrats and liberals a bad name.

Also, why is this news?

[Jaxi]

I think his concern isn't that they are being sympathetic, but instead that they are pretending to be sympathetic in order to get votes, but thereafter won't actually do anything to help trans-people.

That's a lot to infer from one man's sympathies about one other man. This is essentially what he said:

"Santorum said Bruce Jenner is a woman, let me predict the entire Republican plan concerning Trans-Gender policies."

Do you not see an issue with it? Nothing a Republican does can be altruistic to him.

[arandomuser]

You mean like how democrats originally only pretended to care about black people to get their votes?

You should look up how LBJ thought of black people in private, compared to how he spoke in public.

you should see how rick santorum things about black people



No not poor people, not disenfranchised people, but BLACK people on welfare...

[for those wondering, no not everry black person is on welfare, and not every person on welfare is black- contrary to popular belief in this forum- but rick santorum disagrees with me apparently]\
he is not a serious 2016 contender anyways

[Jaxi]

Also, why is this news?

Because let's face it, people are surprised. I'm a Republican, and even I didn't expect Santorum to outright say it.

[Orloth]

As a trans person myself, and about as left leaning as one can be without being horizontal, I find this encouraging.

The problem with the Republican party, to my mind, has not been their beliefs in limited government and religion, but their recent unwillingness to accept facts and compromizes. They have taken to attempting to rule and conquer rather then govern, the realm of Tyrrany. Anything that shows that reversing is a good thing to my mind. I am not going to wage uncomprimizing war on the right, just because they shot at me first.

That said, I don't think Santorum is going to win much of the LGBT vote with this comment, so much as he is likely to loose ultra-conservative support. But I could be wrong. Jenner was a celebrity for the generation that the Republicans draw most of their support from, so this could be a party wide wake-up call. The way having a gay son turned a Congressman pro-LGBT overnight (can't site, don't remember details).

[Laerrus]

OP, not everything in this world is so Black and White.

Please, please get out of the house more often.

[Nachturnal]

Because let's face it, people are surprised. I'm a Republican, and even I didn't expect Santorum to outright say it.

I suppose you're right, it definitely is rather shocking.

OP though has a pretty big streak in painting broad strokes and labeling people for opposing opinions. This thread is going to go places.

Santorum's views are not the entire Republican party's view, however it is refreshing to see some difference of opinions among conservatives.

[Gumboy]

you should see how rick santorum things about black people

Nice deflection with no answer!

Why would it be ok for democrats to pretend ot care about something for votes but not republicans?

[Endus]

I think what troubles me most is when Jenner explained that she's a Republican because she "believes in the Constitution".

So do Democrats. Just as much.

[Jaxi]

Santorum's views are not the entire Republican party's view, however it is refreshing to see some difference of opinions among conservatives.

That's what I took from it. It wasn't that long ago that many public democrats were against gay marriage, and now a lot of them have reversed opinion (ex: John Kerry). I'd personally love to see the Republicans stop making such stands on the social battles.

[Nachturnal]

That's what I took from it. It wasn't that long ago that many public democrats were against gay marriage, and now a lot of them have reversed opinion (ex: John Kerry). I'd personally love to see the Republicans stop making such stands on the social battles.

Agreed.

Republicans to need to get up to date with the standards of the modern times, but not so much to the point where they are Democrat 2.0. Homogenization in politics isn't necessarily good.

I don't like however that Jenner mentions she's a Republican because she believes in the constitution, as if it's some sort of exclusive trait to the Republicans.