# Caitlyn Jenner notwithstanding **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650 "2015-07-31T15:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![keno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f9ae1b/32.png) [@keno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keno)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/1 "2015-07-31T15:03:48Z")
According to Cecil’s latest column “…the estimated rate of transgender people in the population is the same as in most other countries, roughly 0.3 percent.” Why does a condition affecting such a very small percentage of the population get so much media coverage? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/2 "2015-07-31T15:06:32Z")
nm. Thought this was IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/3 "2015-07-31T15:09:31Z")
I don’t think you can say “Caitlyn Jenner notwithstanding,” because until she became front page news, transgender people didn’t get _nearly_ as much media coverage. In the pre-Jenner era, media coverage of transgendered persons seemed to be restricted mostly to a few celebrities (the one from Orange is the New Black, for example), and the occasional horrible act of transphobic violence. Rarely was it front page news, and even more rarely (if ever) did it dominate front page news for weeks. It wasn’t until Jenner that it was a major talking point in American news and public discourse. It seems to me. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/4 "2015-07-31T15:09:34Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > nm. Thought this was IMHO. It may have to be moved; I’m not sure there’s a GQ answer to this. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/5 "2015-07-31T15:13:15Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It may have to be moved; I’m not sure there’s a GQ answer to this. Looking at **keno** ’s (ten post a year) posting history, it’s mostly this: questions with no factual answer, posted in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/6 "2015-07-31T15:25:11Z")
I reported it. If the GQ mods have the same opinion as me it will get moved. The most GQish answer I can think of is the subject is getting media attention because people are watching. The media including what is supposed to be hard news is all about the ratings. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/7 "2015-07-31T15:32:01Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > nm. Thought this was IMHO. It is now. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/8 "2015-07-31T15:44:36Z")
Here’s another reason - [These Are the Trans Women Killed So Far in the U.S. in 2015](http://www.advocate.com/transgender/2015/07/27/these-are-trans-women-killed-so-far-us-2015?page=full) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/9 "2015-07-31T15:47:22Z")
Because “Gay” is so last year. In fact, “Trans” is on it’s way out already. All the [cool kids](https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrSbnM3mLtVK4YAQERXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEza2NnMmJwBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDVklQNjE3XzEEc2VjA3Nj?p=Ruby+Rose&fr=ymyy-t-200) are “gender fluid” these days. In other news, Jose Conseco will live as a woman for a week in support of CJ. I’m sure it’s all about the support, and has nothing told with getting JC’s name back in the news. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/10 "2015-07-31T16:10:06Z")
So what you’re suggesting is that famous people get more media coverage than they objectively deserve compared to the rest of us. It’s a shocking thesis. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/11 "2015-07-31T16:13:26Z")
Serious answer: Because anything unique stands out. If 99 people show up to an interview dressed in suits but one is dressed like a clown, you’re going to notice the clown ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/12 "2015-07-31T16:22:26Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Here’s another reason - [These Are the Trans Women Killed So Far in the U.S. in 2015](http://www.advocate.com/transgender/2015/07/27/these-are-trans-women-killed-so-far-us-2015?page=full) According to that there have been 11 trans women killed in the U.S. this year when there were 12 killed for the entire year of 2014. In a country that has about 14,000 murders a year that is considered an epidemic? And skimming through that article it seems that in quite a few of those cases their gender identity was not a contributing factor (domestic violence, robbery). Your cite does not seem to be a reason for what the OP is asking, it’s more of an example. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/13 "2015-07-31T16:41:46Z")
0.3 percent of America’s population is still 964,000 people. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19adc/32.png) [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/14 "2015-07-31T17:28:35Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 0.3 percent of America’s population is still 964,000 people. I came in to post exactly that. To put it in perspective, that’s nearly twice the population of Wyoming. Anti-trans discrimination should really be more of a big deal than it is. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/15 "2015-07-31T18:49:49Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 0.3 percent of America’s population is still 964,000 people. > [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#): > > I came in to post exactly that. To put it in perspective, that’s nearly twice the population of Wyoming. Anti-trans discrimination should really be more of a big deal than it is. That was so shocking to me that I checked **Little Nemo** ’s math before replying. Wow. Eye-opener of the day. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/16 "2015-07-31T18:54:24Z")
I’m not aware it is a much of a media story elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/17 "2015-07-31T20:13:30Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > According to that there have been 11 trans women killed in the U.S. this year when there were 12 killed for the entire year of 2014. In a country that has about 14,000 murders a year that is considered an epidemic?[…] Depends on who’s doing the considering, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/18 "2015-07-31T20:25:41Z")
I think some of it may be because the Kardashian/Jenner clan already has such a high profile and a very good marketing rep, so it’s a continuation of that. Also, the gains which have recently been made with regards to gay marriage may encourage other minorities to push for more rights. Rightly so, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/19 "2015-07-31T20:30:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 0.3 percent of America’s population is still 964,000 people. Sometimes, I wonder if people could coordinate well take over a small state/city like that. Imagine if every trans person in the country moved to Wyoming. They’d take over the state and local government, vote themselves full rights, and create a trans paradise. There’s no reason why it can’t be done, just that its hard to coordinate people into doing something like that ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650/20 "2015-07-31T20:34:31Z")
> [@keno](#): > > Caitlyn Jenner notwithstanding No, she still pees like before. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caitlyn-jenner-notwithstanding/726650.md?page=2)