|
 Jenner told gay and lesbian publication The Advocate in an
interview posted this week that she admired Cruz despite the social
conservative's stance on transgender issues.
The 66-year-old Olympic gold medalist turned television personality
called Cruz a "great constitutionalist" and said she would like to
advise him on questions relating to her community.
"Yes, trans ambassador to the president of the United States, so we
can say, 'Ted, love what you're doing but here's what's going on,'"
Jenner, who last year became the most high-profile American to
transition to a different gender, told The Advocate.
The muted reaction to Jenner's support for Cruz appeared to show the
high level of esteem she enjoys in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) community. But that did not stop some of its
members speaking out.
 "Doing my best to not send tweets to a woman I respect for her
courage, but dang it, @Caitlyn_Jenner you're killing me with Cruz
support!" Chely Wright, the first country music star to come out as
gay, wrote in a post on Twitter.
Some in the LGBT community took a more pointed stand, citing Cruz's
opposition to same-sex marriage and his criticism of government
efforts to allow students to use a bathroom that conforms to their
gender identity.
In January, at a campaign stop in Iowa, Cruz said "inflicting"
transgender students on teachers by allowing them to use a faculty
restroom in line with their gender identity was better than having
them share a bathroom with other students, according to video from
NBC News.
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Zack Ford, the LGBT editor at ThinkProgress, a website affiliated
with the left-leaning Center for American Progress, wrote in a post
that Jenner's support for Republicans like Cruz taints her
"credibility."
Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for
Transgender Equality, said Jenner's comments highlight the fact a
significant share of transgender people are Republicans.
"One would hope that transgender people would support philosophies
that are helpful and not harmful to trans people," she said, adding
that Jenner might have taken that into consideration before offering
her support to Cruz.
A representative for the gay rights group GLAAD declined to comment
and a spokeswoman for Cruz could not be reached.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis and Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Andrew
Hay)
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