Caitlyn Jenner has had many different lives over the last 71 years.
She has been a record-breaking olympian, a reality tv celebrity, a transgender activist and now, a hopeful politician.
In late April, Jenner announced she will run for governor of California in the 2021 recall gubernatorial election as a Republican.
Jenner said in a statement posted on Twitter that she has filed initial paperwork to run for the post, saying "California is worth fighting for".
"For the past decade, we have seen the glimmer of the Golden State reduced by one-party rule that places politics over progress and special interests over people. Sacramento needs an honest leader with a clear vision," Jenner said in a statement announcing her 'Caitlyn for California' candidacy.
Her run would come nearly two decades after the ascendancy of Arnold Schwarzenegger, another Republican who used his Hollywood fame as a springboard to the state's highest office in a 2003 recall election.
As for her political opinions, the celebrity activist described herself as "economically conservative, socially progressive" in a People magazine interview last year. Jenner has previously shared that she voted for Donald Trump in 2016 but not in 2020 thanks to his stance on issues facing transgender people. Little is known about Jenner's positions on critical issues facing the state, from the coronavirus pandemic to managing the economy.
Now, Jenner - who is widely known from the television show Keeping Up with the Kardashians - has just come out with one of her opinions that many have described as "unexpected" and some have called "damaging".
During an interview with TMZ while on her morning coffee run on Saturday, Jenner expressed her position on trans people in sport.
"I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls sports in school,” she said. “It just isn’t fair, and we have to protect girls’ sports in our schools.”
On Twitter, Jenner doubled down on her stance, telling her 3.5 million followers: "I didn’t expect to get asked this on my Saturday morning coffee run, but I’m clear about where I stand. It’s an issue of fairness and we need to protect girls’ sports in our schools."
The comments triggered an onslaught of criticism from the trans community, with some calling her "a traitor".
"So we need to 'protect girls' sports' from other girls now? And fairness? Don’t you know how testosterone blockers work?" one woman asked.
"When you’re on hormones and or blockers, there is not an advantage," another said. "I ran track at the club level with college girls and trust me there is no advantage."
"Girls belong in girls sports. Trans girls are girls," another added to the conversation.
However, other people thanked Jenner for her "honesty" in sharing her opinions.
The California election will likely be held in November this year, and no doubt we'll be hearing a lot more from the unlikely politician in the months to come.
Feature Image: Instagram.
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