"Call Me Caitlyn"

Since this topic came up during class yesterday, I thought it appropriate to post about an unfortunate encounter I had with an old science teacher of mine on Facebook.  A few days ago, I had shared something criticizing those who refuse to call Caitlyn Jenner by her name. This is what the post said:

I made the decision to share the doesn't seem like too much to ask, just call her Caitlyn. Even if you can't accept transgender as being a thing, at least give someone the respect of calling them by their name.  Mr. Calloway does not feel the same way: this is what he had to say...

"Bruce Jenner is a douche...not a Transgender advocate or hero (Chaz Bono is much more of an advocate or hero, but many others would fit that role ) . He has been a huge right right wing supporter....anti black...anti poor....hell anti middle class...He has shown zero appreciation for anyone else's struggles especially people who were born one gender and are mentally and spiritually another. I call him bruce....because bruce was a douche... sleeping with a sick dying man's wife.....doing hard drugs but supporting locking kids up for doing the same thing....doing anything for fame and never really helping others...even his older children until he had his reality show.....and just because the gender changes....the douche is still the same....same douchey bruce.....

Sorry for the rant."

I was shocked when I read his comment, I have no idea how anyone could say something like that. Not knowing how to respond, I took the night to sleep on it.  The next day I made my response: 

"Okay.

I’m sorry that you feel that way, really I am because that’s a really hateful and ignorant thing to say.
2. This isn’t the first time you’ve made some type of conservative, disrespectful, quasi-homophobic/transphobic comment on one of my posts so now I feel obligated to respond.

3. The fact that you are using her apparent “douchey” personality to justify your blatant hateful and disrespectful attitude towards her is unbelievable. It’s crazy that you’re using that as an excuse to not accept her as a human being and give her the respect that everyone deserves to be called by her name. Like honestly… wow. I really hope you don’t stay this close-minded for the rest of your life because we have way too many people like that on the planet as it is. It’s okay to think that for the first 65 years of her life, she has done things that you don’t agree with, but it’s NOT okay to use those little things as reason for you to say: “just because the gender changes....the douche is still the same....same douchey bruce…” You sound like a bitter, sexist, transphobic, conservative old man who needs a reality check. To be honest, right now I’m embarrassed that I am your friend on here. I admit that I thought you were cool back in the day, but damn—I don’t know what happened. When did you become so heartless and full of hate? For real though, you don’t have to like someone to treat them with dignity and respect.

4. I am not saying the Caitlyn is a transgender advocate, but you don’t need to be one to be CALLED BY YOUR NAME; just give her some respect.

Not sorry for the rant."   

*BOOM* Look out now!  

I felt so proud of myself for that response. But then I realized that perhaps I was too hard; it could come across as a personal attack on him, which definitely wasn't my intention at all.  So you may be wondering why I'm writing my chronique on Caitlyn Jenner.  This whole debacle with my old science teacher reminded me of the discussions we would have in class. Sometimes we would disagree with each other and that's okay.  The problem arises when we use someone's opinions as justification for not treating a person with the respect that everyone deserves.