Caitlyn Jenner is releasing a cover of ‘Dude Looks Like a Lady’ and people aren’t happy
By Ross Semple
Caitlyn Jenner has has been criticised on social media after she revealed plans to release a cover of the Aerosmith song ‘Dude (Looks Like a Lady)’.
Yesterday (July 18), Caitlyn posted a picture of herself with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler on Instagram. She revealed in the image’s caption that the pair are “working on our duet for Dude Looks Like a Lady. One of my favorite songs!”
The song, first released by Aerosmith in 1987, tells the story of a man who is mistaken about the gender identity of the person he is pursuing romantically. Lyrics to the song include: “So never judge a book by its cover/Or who you gonna love by your lover/Love put me wise to her love in disguise/She had the body of a Venus/Lord, imagine my surprise.”
‘Dude (Looks Like a Lady)’ has been criticised in recent years for the transphobic connotations of the song, with some arguing that it trivialises the experiences of the trans community. Fox News was blasted in 2013 for playing the song over a report on the then-imprisoned transgender woman and whistle-blower Chelsea Manning.
With this in mind, social media users did not react kindly to Caitlyn’s plan for a duet. One user wrote: “You’ve gotta be kidding every binary transwoman in the world @caitlynjenner This song has been used as a humilation towards us for years. How could you not know this.
“Are you even a real transwoman or is this just a continuation of a PR stunt to make transwomen further stigmatised and ridiculed. Stop trying be famous and either shut the fuck up or speak wisely. Acknowledge that most transwomen have sweet fuck all privlege and no voice. So use your privelege ethically.”
Another user, che7enne, wrote: “Why don’t you start growing up, it may be just all a joke to you. The consequences are more people start to despise you and react violently to others like us. Stop this please.
“You’re not a dude looking like a lady, just like the rest of us of the T community. Don’t Do To Others, What You Don’t Want Others To Do To Yourself!”
What do you think of Caitlyn’s plans?
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