I Am Cait (2015) s02e04 Episode Script

The Great Debate

1 ELLA: He messaged back.
So we're meeting.
Yeah, I have his number.
My high school crush I had called him and told him my feelings.
Just thinking that he's gonna be out there is kind of weird.
- CHANDI: Ella might get lucky.
- (Laughter) CAITLYN: You know we're going to Lamoni, where I went to college.
It is a church-affiliated school.
I'm quite nervous about this.
PROTESTER: Caitlyn Jenner, you're an insult to all trans people.
- You don't represent us.
- CAITLYN: - - MAN: (Indistinct chatter) CANDIS: Oh.
Is that Hillary Clinton? Oh, my God.
- Caitlyn.
- CAITLYN: Hillary.
- CHANDI: Hi.
- CANDIS: Hi, how are you? MANICURIST: You, like, you want to pick a color and we'll get you seated down there? - CHANDI: Okay.
- CANDIS: Okay.
CAITLYN: Should we all go for the same color, - for solidarity? - CHANDI: Oh.
- That would be great.
- ELLA: I love that idea.
A deep red? CAITLYN: See, she says a deep red.
Do you ever go red? (Zackary laughs) ZACKARY: Never.
- Never, never.
- CAITLYN: Then it's time, baby.
- Get out of your comfort zone.
- ZACKARY: No, don't make me do it! JENNY: Oh, my gosh, look at these chairs.
CAITLYN: Everybody, at the same time, - turn on your vibrator.
- ZACKARY: Oh, oh, yes.
- CAITLYN: I know you will.
- ZACKARY: Oh, yes.
The same color.
The same color.
Because I I, as far as, like ZACKARY: I feel paralyzed by the inability to make a decision.
ELLA: I know.
That's perfect.
- I feel the same way.
- ZACKARY: Paralyzed.
- CAITLYN: You know we're going to Lamoni - CHANDI: Mm-hmm.
CAITLYN: uh, where I went to college.
We're going to Iowa.
First, Dubuque.
We're gonna meet this wonderful lady, uh, Rachel, who's really organized her town on gender issues.
Then we're off to Des Moines, where the Democratic debates are.
Should be interesting.
And then my old alma mater, Graceland University.
Iowa, here we come.
We're gonna do a presentation to the student body.
Now, this is a church-affiliated school.
It's basically a branch off of the Mormon religion.
But here's the deal: I want to leave it open to the student body to ask questions.
I mean, I've gotten a lot of letters since coming out and out of the religious side, uh, about 50% are very positive.
- CHANDI: Mm-hmm.
- CAITLYN: Uh, but on the other half, there's a lot of negative people.
We've all seen it.
So they can ask any question they want.
CHANDI: You know we gonna be ready.
ELLA: If we're speaking in front of the student body, I am actually gonna know somebody going there.
- CAITLYN: Oh - ELLA: From my high school, yeah.
- CAITLYN: No way.
Went from your high school? - ELLA: Yeah.
My high school crush I I had called him, um, junior year, before my transition, and told him my feelings.
INTERVIEWER: ELLA: Um yeah.
I, um, I had been waiting for, like, all of high school to have a class with him.
Then I have it, senior year, after I told him liked him and I come back as Ella, so it's this whole crazy thing.
Uh, it definitely was, like, a weird it was like, oh 'Cause I didn't know we were going to be speaking in front of the student body, and just thinking that he's going to be out there is kind of weird.
JENNY: Are you okay? Or are you feeling You sound a little worried.
ELLA: I'm I'm kind of nervous, you know? If I were to, let's say, run into him, it would be interesting to hear how 'Cause I never talked to him about it.
CANDIS: How long ago was this? - ELLA: Uh, last year.
- CANDIS: Last year.
So it's pretty recent.
ELLA: (bleep)'s best sorry, that's his name.
(bleep)'s best friend, um, Michael they're both at Graceland.
- JENNY: They're both at Graceland? - CAITLYN: Oh, they're both there.
ELLA: Yeah, it's really strange.
Michael, um he was probably the only guy who wrote in my yearbook, and he wrote, "I hope our paths cross again.
" ZACKARY: Ooh.
So this is the friend of the crush.
- ELLA: The friend.
- CAITLYN: No way.
(laughter) ELLA: Strange.
CAITLYN: We gotta stay overnight in Lamoni.
- CHANDI: Yes, we gotta stay overnight.
- CAITLYN: We can't just go through.
- I think we - CHANDI: No.
- CAITLYN: Yeah, I think - CHANDI: Ella might get lucky.
(laughter) - CAITLYN: Let's do it.
- (applause, music playing) - MAN: Nice to meet you.
- CANDIS: Nice to meet you, Shannon.
SHANNON: Nice to meet you, also.
CAITLYN: Chicago House, they asked me to come in.
They're having a big fund-raiser.
It is really a great organization.
They provide, uh, medical services, uh, employment opportunities and housing for our people who are living on the streets, who have, basically, no place to go.
And that is a huge problem in this community.
Thank you.
(cheering) It is so my pleasure to be here for Chicago House.
My experience is not even close to being the normal experience in this community.
Yesterday, we got the opportunity to go visit a, kind of a subdivision of Chicago House and it's the TransLife Center, which really spotlights, um, homelessness in the trans community.
CLIENT: When I got here, I was in a dark place.
I was in a domestic relationship.
I was 13, he was 21.
And I dated him he beat the crap out of me.
I finally got away and I started doing drugs and drinking a lot.
I mean, even trying to take care of myself I started sex work.
I did get raped before, and I just want girls younger than me to know that you don't have to do it.
CAITLYN: You know what, everybody needs a break in life.
Everybody needs a chance in life.
And hopefully, by continuing on this conversation, we can make it better for the next generation coming up.
Because there's lives at stake, here.
There are so many great people in this community and it's a pleasure to be part of it.
Thank you so much for having me - and letting me tell my story.
- (cheering) WOMAN: Huzzah! - (Zackary and Caitlyn whisper) - CAITLYN: Did I do okay? - ZACKARY: You did great.
- KATE: Nailed it, nailed it.
CAITLYN: Thank you.
PROTESTER: Caitlyn Jenner, you're an insult to all trans people.
- You don't represent us.
- You're a disgrace to our community.
You have no right to speak for us.
Caitlyn Jenner, get away from us! We don't get jobs, we don't get any money, but you get all these awards.
It isn't all fun and games.
You don't care about the real trans women of America.
CAITLYN: You only care about what you look like on TV.
We don't need you, we don't want you.
We don't want you here.
(indistinct shouting) CAITLYN: - - PROTESTER: MAN: KATE: We're going to the Democratic debate tonight.
It's time to address the elephant in the room.
CAITLYN: Why is everybody looking at me? ELLA: He messaged back.
So we're meeting.
Yeah, I have his number.
I don't know what people would think, seeing one of the football players sitting at lunch with Ella.
PROTESTER: We don't want you.
We don't want you here.
(shouting indistinctly) CAITLYN: - - PROTESTER: MAN: Don't you (bleep) touch her! - MAN: What the (bleep) is this? - CHANDI: Leave! CHANDI: Leave! PROTESTER: CAITLYN: PROTESTER: - CAITLYN: I would love for you - CAITLYN: BODYGUARD: Police want us to get in the car.
- CAITLYN: Have a good day.
- (Protesters shouting) WOMAN: Everybody in the van.
CHANDI: Baby, you can't even show your face, so how are you gonna speak about what's an insult to our community and you can't even represent yourself and show who you are? What are you doing to further our community? If you're out here, willing to invest your energy and your time into trying to tear someone down, you could be using that same energy to lift someone up, and you're not doing anything, so what what is the issue? KATE: All trans people are convinced they have the truth about trans, - and nobody else is trans but them.
- CAITLYN: Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
- KATE: Uh, you know? - JENNY: You're doing it wrong.
CAITLYN: I I was trying to calm her down.
"Calm down, calm down, calm down," you know? JENNY: It was the first time for Caitlyn that she saw, in the flesh, people's reservations about her.
Um, and I think that's actually good for her.
There are a lot of people with very, um, reasonable objections to her privilege, um, maybe her sense of womanhood or politics.
You know, Caitlyn is a public figure for transgender people, but she's a problematic figure, and she needs to pay attention.
CAITLYN: Time to get out of here.
- Going back to good old Iowa.
- (Ella sighs) - ELLA: The bus.
- CHANDI: Hey! MIMI: So this is it.
CANDIS: So Mimi is from Iowa, and I thought it would be really cool if she came along.
I don't get to see her very often.
So any time spent with my sister, I'm all for.
ZACKARY: Hi, everyone.
I had this dream.
I was on this trip with, like, two serial killers.
- (Zackary laughs) - KATE: Stop it.
ZACKARY: I had, like, this crazy nightmare.
CAITLYN: I know, I hate that.
Next on the stop, we're going to Dubuque, Iowa.
I live in Los Angeles.
Tons of resources.
People to help, programs to help.
But what happens if you're in Dubuque, Iowa, and you're trans? What programs are available to you? Oh, my God, look at this town.
- ELLA: Is this Dubuque? - KATE: Main Street, USA.
MIMI: I've been through this these roads right here many times.
CAITLYN: Ah, the sweet smell ZACKARY: Oh, it's so cute.
Gorgeous.
Of Iowa.
(Laughing) CHANDI: We made it to Dubuque.
- ZACKARY: I I love it already.
- CAITLYN: I know.
ELLA: Let's go shop.
- COURTNEY: "Lingerie and jammies.
" - ELLA (laughing): Lingerie.
COURTNEY: Lingerie.
Let's go there.
- ELLA: This way? - COURTNEY: Yeah.
First stop.
JENNY: Wait, why are we buying lingerie? - ELLA: Why not? - KATE: Why not? Silly question.
CANDIS: Jenny, do you have any lingerie? Like, for for Deedie? JENNY: Um, I have I have lots of flannel.
- (Mimi laughs) - I have logs of gingham.
CANDIS: Wait, I think the pink and black would be good for you.
Yeah.
JENNY: You think you think it would - kind of, open up a new door for me? - CANDIS: Yeah, I think we need to Yeah.
- JENNY: Uh, it looks tremendously comfortable.
- CANDIS: Look-it, look at how gorgeous, these thigh-high stockings.
JENNY: Oh yeah, 'cause, you know, I could wear these when I'm shoveling snow.
You know, for me lingerie is is not simple.
(Chuckles) It's a fairly complicated thing.
CANDIS: But have you ever worn a garter? JENNY: I'm trying to think.
I think I think one time when I was bear huntin'.
(Candis laughs) - CANDIS: Goddamn you.
- JENNY: But I kind of like this.
(Candis laughs) CANDIS: And I'm sure Deedie will too.
CAITLYN: ELLA: I think so too.
COURTNEY: Well, let's let's participate.
JENNY: Is it me? It could be.
ZACKARY: Jenny Boylan's got a secret.
- JENNY: Oh, I don't know what you're t - ZACKARY: She's got a naughty secret.
JENNY: I got some candles.
I got some candles and some, uh, playing cards.
CAITLYN: I think what all the girls should sample their first time with mountain oysters.
CANDIS: Oh, what is that? Something weird.
Like, balls or something.
(Laughing) Isn't it balls? - CAITLYN: Bulls' testicles.
- CANDIS: Yes.
- CHANDI: Let's not and say we did.
- ZACKARY: Yeah.
- CHANDI: Yeah.
- KIP: I like the way you think, Chandi.
CHANDI: Right.
CAITLYN: Come on in! Hello, babe.
- RACHAEL: Hi.
How are you? - CAITLYN: Have a seat right here.
- These are all the girls.
- RACHAEL: Hello, gang.
Nice to meet you.
CAITLYN: Now, you probably have never had this many - girls like us in this town - RACHAEL: Yeah, no.
- This this is a first, for sure.
- CAITLYN: Isn't that good? - Yay! - RACHAEL: Great.
- CAITLYN: I like firsts.
- RACHAEL: Nice to see you all.
- Yeah.
- CAITLYN: Yeah, I like firsts.
JENNY: So what are we what are gonna do tonight? RACHAEL: Well, I was a dealer at the casino I still am and we're gonna have some blackjack tables.
You're gonna get to deal to the people in Dubuque.
CANDIS: How rad is that? That's like a Bond movie.
- (laughs) - RACHAEL: One of my doctors mentioned to me when I was going through transition here in Dubuque, uh, why didn't I move to somewhere larger that I might be more accepted there? I was pretty much the only one in this area when I came out.
Um, and I said, "Because people need to be aware that there's transgender people everywhere.
" So I knew that's why I had to stay here in Dubuque.
CAITLYN: You are just a gutsy little thing, aren't you? I love that.
KATE: Usually what changes a person's mind about trans in general is the moment they meet a trans person.
So Caitlyn and all of us ladies in tow coming to Dubuque, now they got to meet any number of us and see that we're sweet.
CAITLYN: Put your money on the table.
Let's go.
Are you ready? I'm taking your money.
RACHAEL: Okay, let's deal you up and you up.
And then we flip one over.
- KATE: Just want you to know I've been counting cards.
- (Laughing) CHANDI: RACHEL: I'm Rachel.
By the way, welcome to Dubuque.
CAITLYN: Nice to meet you, Rachel; come on in the middle.
You get in the middle.
- (camera shutter clicks) - You got it.
Thank you.
Nice to meet you.
- RACHEL: Hey, thank you.
- LIZZIE: CAITLYN: With with what? With coming out? - LIZZIE: Yeah, and I just - CAITLYN: How old are you? LIZZIE: I'm 13.
CAITLYN: You're how long? LIZZIE: 13.
CAITLYN: Surround yourself with positive people.
Uplifting people.
People who want to see you do well.
Anybody give you any trash in your life, get them the hell out of your life.
There's a lot of great, loving people out there.
Pick your friends wisely.
- Be yourself.
- LIZZIE: That was really amazing meeting Caitlyn.
She's such an inspiration to everyone in the LGBT community.
I just wanted to thank her so much for being herself.
CAITLYN: Look at all these people in this room.
You know, there's so many good people out there.
Find the right ones.
- Life will be good.
- LIZZIE: I'm so glad I got to meet her, and it was just one of the best days of my life.
CAITLYN: You got it.
Good luck to you.
- LIZZIE: Thanks.
- CAITLYN: Okay? - Let's move it.
- CANDIS: Let's move it out.
JENNY: Good-bye, Dubuque.
CANDIS: Good-bye, Dubuque.
JENNY: Howdy, Des Moines.
KATE: May may I kindly have your attention, please.
We're approaching Des Moines.
Um, it's time to address the elephant in the room.
- We're going to the Democratic - CAITLYN: There's an elephant in the room? KATE: There is an elephant in the room, Miss Caitlyn, there is.
We're going to the Democratic debate tonight, and there we're gonna be sitting in a room with young Republicans and young Democrats.
I would like to see if we can come to some agreed-upon guidelines - so that the firestorm last time in Santa Fe - CAITLYN: Hey! Okay KATE: doesn't happen again.
I would like to suggest a safeword.
Like, if I blow up or go, "Gah! I hate Trump!" You're not allowed to say it like that.
Safeword: "God bless America.
" - CANDIS: God bless America.
- JENNY: God bless America.
ALL: God bless America Our home sweet home CAITLYN: Great! - (clapping, whooping) - KATE: So anyone of in this group says, "God bless America," we immediately go, "Holy (bleep), am I being off the wall?" - And we back back down.
- CAITLYN: Why is everybody looking at me? CANDIS: In a room full of people we don't know, we don't want to insult anybody there.
We don't want to get into fights with the Republicans.
We don't want to get into fights with the Democrats, Caitlyn.
- JENNY: Let's also take into account that college students - CAITLYN: We're, we have to show ourselves as higher human beings.
- CANDIS: Exactly.
- CAITLYN: That's right.
KATE: We've, we've been such a loving group, and I would like to see us continue that under what could be some stress.
CANDIS: I'm a little nervous, uh, that that Caitlyn will not be able to meet in the middle when it comes to her political beliefs, because I think people don't really want to hear about Caitlyn being a Republican.
And so it makes me nervous that she's gonna go off on a rant and, um, I won't know how to protect her from that.
CAITLYN: I'm practicing right now by keeping my mouth shut.
(Laughter) (indistinct chatter) CANDIS: Is that Hillary Clinton? Caitlyn.
CAITLYN: He doesn't really appreciate this country.
KATE: God bless America.
God bless America.
Now you're talking someone down.
(Sighs) CANDIS: Look at the bulldog.
LUCILLE: Hi, I'm Lucille from Drake University.
- Welcome back.
- CAITLYN: It's nice to meet you, - thank you.
Thank you.
- LUCILLE: It's nice to meet you as well.
The Democratic debates are at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
In 1970, at that university, I ran my first decathlon.
(Oohs and ahs) CANDIS: 1978 inductee.
- - COURTNEY: Holy wow CAITLYN: This, this is where I ran my first ever decathlon.
(oohs and ahs) - CANDIS: This is where it all began.
- CAITLYN: This is the old place.
Oh, my God, no! Oh, the old, the old Drake Relays.
There we go, baby! You know, even though I'm transitioned and my life is so different today, I'm proud of that aspect of my life.
COURTNEY: Should we all line up like we're racing? CAITLYN: No.
(Stammers) You'll be okay, don't worry.
I don't want you to hurt yourself.
JENNY: I'm not moving.
I'm just getting down.
CAITLYN: Okay, well, I'm hoping you can get back up again - that's the problem.
- CHANDI: Right.
CAITLYN: You know where the debates are? They're right here.
So we got to get home, back and get changed? - CHANDI: Yeah! - CAITLYN: Let's get it going! (Crickets trilling) CHANDI: Let's do it! (indistinct chatter) MAN: So, we'll give you a few instructions to get started.
Over here on the tables, you can make your name tags.
Um, we have blue if you identify as Democrat, red for Republicans and white for anything else.
ZACKARY: This will be fun tonight.
- It will be interesting.
- CAITLYN: Yeah, it should be fun.
ZACKARY: You know? CAITLYN: See all the free stuff Hillary's gonna give out.
- You know, it's gonna be good.
- ZACKARY: What do you mean "free stuff"? - CAITLYN: Well, that's all she does.
- ZACKARY: Uh-huh.
CAITLYN: Uh, she never says how we're gonna pay for it, but ZACKARY: Yeah? Caitlyn's conservative politics are a concern for all of us.
And I wonder how she'll be received.
MAN: All right, everyone, uh, it's just a couple of minutes until the debate starts, so if you want to find your seats.
Remember if you want to sit on the Democratic side, it's over here, the Independent side is in the middle and the Republicans over there.
CAITLYN: Hi! - CHANDI: Hi, Cait! - CANDIS: Hi! - CHANDI: Hi! - KATE: I'm a Republican tonight.
CHANDI: Okay, go Auntie Kate! MAN: Please welcome to Drake University, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
(Applause) (Caitlyn boos) (Cheering) CAITLYN: KATE: God bless America.
God bless America.
Now you're talking someone down.
- I haven't said that all - CAITLYN: I'm talking his policy, KATE: Wait, wait, wait, wait.
CAITLYN: But think about it KATE: God bless America.
(sighs) ELLA: (Laughter) MAN: Senator Sanders, in you said a previous debate, the greatest threat to national security was climate change.
Do you still believe that? KATE: CAITLYN: KATE: CAITLYN: He's an idiot.
KATE: No, no, no, no, no, no.
- CAITLYN: Sorry, sorry.
- KATE: What he just said was stupid, I agree.
- CAITLYN: He's misinformed.
- KATE: I agree.
- CAITLYN: Okay, okay.
- KATE: - CAITLYN: I like this.
Okay, great.
- KATE: Yeah, really.
- CAITLYN: - KATE: Okay.
CAITLYN: - KATE: It is.
- CAITLYN: Yeah.
KATE: I'm I'm going yay.
I I give her a B-plus for really trying to listen andand communicate.
I think we really are coming to a point where we can talk with each other.
I mean, you saw what happened in Santa Fe we could not talk with each other.
I had to leave the room.
I have not had to leave the room and I've only had to sing "God Bless America" three times.
(applause) MAN: I want to ask some of guests that are with us today what do you think's been good so far and what would you maybe critique? CANDIS: I think people are being a little tough on Hillary, personally.
JENNY: I'd be happy to have any of these people as president.
MAN: Okay, Caitlyn, do you, you got a red one, so from the Republican side (laughter) CAITLYN: Coming out trans was like nothing, until I said I was a Republican.
Um, it's kind of an interesting situation for me.
They keep talking about the top 1%, the top one Oh, these terrible people, okay? I'm in the top 1%.
I don't even have Obamacare and I had to put $450,000 in there.
The healthcare's going to be worse, so I think we need a better tax structure.
(Chandi singing "God Bless America") CAITLYN: Oh, I know, all my girls down here.
I got all my girls down here! How we settle all our problems at the end are you ready? ALL: God bless America.
CAITLYN: That's it, okay.
But that's how we settle it, - because we all love our country.
- MAN: Thank you.
(crowd cheering) (all singing "God Bless America") - CAITLYN: But I'm being very good! - KATE: You are, you are, - you are, you are.
- CAITLYN: Aren't I doing good? - KATE: You're doing much better.
- CAITLYN: Thank you.
CANDIS: You're doing great.
(indistinct chatter) CANDIS: Is that Hillary Clinton? Oh, my God! Caitlyn.
CAITLYN: Hillary.
It is a church-affiliated school.
So, Chandi, if we say something and they come after you CHANDI: I can't just sit there and and and take that.
ZACKARY: You should sit next to 'em.
ELLA: Ask good questions, 'cause I don't think I'll be able to talk.
ZACKARY: Okay.
ELLA: It's just, like, that nervous, like, why him? Hi.
(indistinct chatter) Oh, my God! CANDIS: Is that Hillary Clinton? Caitlyn.
CAITLYN: Hillary.
HILLARY: Oh, my gosh! Good to see you.
What are you doing here? Did you come for the debate? - CANDIS: Yes.
- CAITLYN: Of course we did.
HILLARY: How funny is that? CAITLYN: We are on the road.
These are all my girls.
- There's Candis - HILLARY: Hi, guys.
- How are you all? - CANDIS: Great job tonight.
HILLARY: Thank you so much! CANDIS: We're cheering you on.
CAITLYN: HILLARY: Oh, that's great.
- CAITLYN: (stammers) Yes.
- HILLARY: So anything you can do to help.
CAITLYN: Yeah, we're trying to figure out a way we can do that.
- HILLARY: Good.
- CAITLYN: So we're, uh, we're moving along, you know? And these are the most fun girls to be with.
HILLARY: - - ZACKARY: Likewise.
With Hillary Clinton, we were all so star struck, and Caitlyn was, too.
You know, even though she kind of wanted to deny it, it was so palpable to me that I was like, "Oh, she's loving this.
She's meeting a presidential front-runner.
" - HILLARY: Got it? - CAITLYN: Yep, we got it.
- HILLARY: Excellent.
- CAITLYN: All right.
HILLARY: Thank you all.
Great to see you.
- Say hello to your family, too.
- CAITLYN: I will.
- CANDIS: Yeah! - ZACKARY: That was so awesome.
CAITLYN: - CANDIS: - MIMI: Not me.
CAITLYN: You know, Hillary Clinton, she's very sweet.
Very nice.
And who, like, two minutes later comes by but Bill.
He volunteered for a picture.
- Overall, I thought it was great.
- BILL CLINTON: ZACKARY: Wow, that was pretty monumental.
(camera shutters clicking) CHANDI: I'm gonna have a Strawberry Bitch.
(laughter) Come on.
Boom.
WAITRESS: I mean, if anything, it's fun to order.
- We also have a Jackass.
- (Laughter) KATE: Every bar has one of those.
ELLA: So I just got the guts to message Michael.
And I said, "Hey, Michael, long time no talk, uh, but I'm actually going to be in Graceland tomorrow with Caitlyn and, um, I was wondering if you'd want to meet.
" And, like, he, like he messaged back.
He gave me his number and he said, "Yeah, it would be totally awesome.
" He's like, " (bleep) is sleeping, but I'll ask him when he wakes up.
" - CHANDI: Ooh.
- ELLA: So we're meeting.
- Yeah, I have his number.
- JENNY: Bravo.
CHANDI: So, Cait, we're gonna be on your old stomping grounds tomorrow.
No idea of what we're gonna be up against, or ? CAITLYN: Well, I heard they're also gonna open it up to questions from the student body.
It is a church-affiliated school.
So, Chandi, if we say something and they come after you, - you gotta - CHANDI: I don't know, Cait.
I can't say that I won't say it and mean it.
CAITLYN: Don't scare me like this.
CHANDI: I really can't say that, in in in order I can't just sit there and and take that.
CAITLYN: You gotta realize that that's the college where I graduated and those those people were very good.
To be honest with you, going back to Graceland, I'm I'm quite nervous about this.
I can see where the girls are coming from.
You know, if somebody would come after 'em, they're gonna you know, they're fighters, all of these girls are fighters.
But what they have to realize is also that I have a relationship, uh, with this school.
I was very good and treated Hillary Clinton with a lot of respect and I I want them to treat the student body and the teachers here with this same respect, uh, in the way they handle these issues.
CHANDI: As long as they don't tell me that I'm a sinner for being who I am, I'll be okay.
ZACKARY: But if they do CHANDI: If they do, that's another problem.
CAITLYN: Guys, hold it.
This is big.
The coaches while I was there I was really wondering what their reaction is going to be.
Are you ready? - CANDIS: We're ready! - CHANDI: Ready.
- (Zackary whoops) - CAITLYN: Let's do it.
ELLA: This conservative school What are people gonna think? (birds singing) CANDIS: I see you're getting nervous.
ELLA: I'm nervous for them, because they're gonna be so overwhelmed with all these beautiful trans women and, like, so much to, you know, take in.
CHANDI: And how sweet are you, to be worrying about them when you should be worrying about you? ELLA: I wasn't necessarily the the coolest person in high school.
I don't know what people would think, seeing one of the football players sitting at lunch with Ella.
Men in general, when it comes to putting yourself in that situation, where you're publically viewed either intimately with a trans woman or just friendly with a trans woman.
This conservative school What are people gonna think? CHANDI: Oh, you're coming with your posse, girl, - you gotta get over it.
- ELLA: Yeah.
- ZACKARY: With your girl gang.
- CHANDI: You right.
You coming with your posse and you're all good and that's the zone you need to focus and be in.
ELLA: Out of anyone that I went to school with, it had to be him and his best friend at Graceland.
- COURTNEY: They're gonna be so excited.
- CHANDI: Like Zackary said, you should be looking at it as an opportunity to shine.
CAITLYN: Everybody on their best behavior.
- ZACKARY: (bleep) A.
- CAITLYN: (bleep) A.
I like that attitude, girls! Actually, I was doing pretty good on the whole ride down here.
Now I'm actually kind of nervous.
Yeah, I never wore heels at Graceland.
(laughter) - JOHN: I'm John Sellars.
- CAITLYN: Caitlyn.
How are you doing? JOHN: Caitlyn, great to have you here.
- CAITLYN: My pleasure.
- JOHN: We've been looking forward to it.
CAITLYN: Yeah, this is pretty cool.
Guys, hold it.
This is big.
- This is Jerry Hampton.
- JERRY: Oh, God, it's good to see you.
- CAITLYN: How you doing? - JERRY: I'm doing good, really.
- CAITLYN: You're still here! - (Jerry laughs) And Bill Dudek.
How are you doing? - BILL: Hey, good to see you.
- CAITLYN: Good to see you.
When I was at Graceland, as far as my identity, I had my diversions in life and I found sports and I could be "the guy" in sports.
And Jerry Hampton was one of the coaches while I was there, and Bill Dudek, one of the other coaches.
I was really wondering what their reaction is going to be.
JERRY: They were sure bragging on you in my office.
- CAITLYN: Oh, really? - JERRY: They were talking about you as a student and how proud they are of you.
I know they're gonna be telling you that.
CAITLYN: Yeah, well, I appreciate that.
ELLA: Should I sit on the other side, or sit here, next to them? ZACKARY: No, you should sit next to 'em.
ELLA: Ask good questions, 'cause I don't think I'll be able to talk.
ZACKARY: Okay.
ELLA: I'm I don't even have feelings anymore, it's just like that nervous, like, "Why him?" You know? But I need to remember that high school's over, we're all adults here, and, um, I hope that we'll have a nice conversation.
WOMAN: Thank you.
ELLA: Hi.
- Michael.
Hello, Michael, how are you? - MICHAEL: Hey, Ella, how you doing? I'm doing good.
How are you? ELLA: Good, I'm doing awesome.
This is Jenny.
- MICHAEL: Hi, Jenny, nice to meet you.
- JENNY: Hi.
What's your name? - MICHAEL: Michael.
Nice to meet you.
- JENNY: Michael, it's a pleasure to meet you.
- MICHAEL: Pleasure meetin' you.
- CANDIS: Now, did you have another friend that was coming? MICHAEL: We had a class together today and he didn't go.
And when I went back to the room, after my class, he wasn't there.
And I texted him, like, "Hey, where are you?" No reply and I haven't gotten a reply.
Yeah.
WOMAN: How did you go about, like, keeping on to your transformation and still acknowledging God in your life? CAITLYN: Chandi.
- CHANDI: How? - CHANDI: I got this one.
CANDIS: Now, did you have another friend that was coming? MICHAEL: We had a class together today and he didn't go.
And when I went back to the room, after my class, he wasn't there.
And I texted him, like, "Hey, where are you?" No reply and I haven't gotten a reply.
Yeah.
ELLA: The fact that (bleep) didn't come kind of showed me that I mean, it didn't I don't even know if it really showed me anything.
He might have just been nervous, you know? Um you can't blame him for that.
Uh, I definitely do want to give full kudos to Michael though, for him to kind of come in there, knowing that he was going to be in front of a camera alone.
KATE: What was it like for you when Ella went through her transition? MICHAEL: Um, I think my first time I saw her, uh, at the Ventura County Fair.
ELLA: I came in my high-waisted shorts and a little crop top.
No, terrible.
MICHAEL: First thing I thought was, "Oh, maybe she transferred from a different school, like, out of state or something like that, and everybody just happens to know her but me.
" I was like, "Okay.
" Then when I made eye contact with her, I was like, "Wow.
" I was kind of, like, in awe, like, that she, like, came out like that.
- I thought that was very bold.
- KATE: Mike.
- MICHAEL: Yes.
- KATE: You're a gentleman.
- MICHAEL: Thank you.
- ELLA: Gentleman, yes.
KATE: You are.
- CAITLYN: Ready to go do this, babe? - CHANDI: Let's do it.
CAITLYN: I hope that the girls respect that this is my school, this is where I went to college, this is where my name is on the whole sports complex.
I just don't want to do anything to upset anybody.
I want this to be informative for the students and the faculty to learn something about our community.
- Are you ready? - ELLA: We're ready.
- KATE: We're ready.
- CAITLYN: Let's do it.
- KATE: All right.
- CANDIS: We got your back.
(Indistinct chatter) (applause) RAQUEL: Today Graceland students have a great opportunity to have a discussion about gender identity, so I'm very, very excited.
There are no wrong questions.
ELLA: I, I thought I was nervous before we got to Graceland College, but my stomach is just dropping.
You know, after having the lunch with Michael and, um, the other boy not showing up, I don't know what to expect.
RAQUEL: You ask what you feel you should ask.
ELLA: It's very nerve-racking.
STUDENT: My question is, how did you go about keeping onto your journey of, like, your transformation and still acknowledging God in your life? - Because, like, religion and everything.
- (Indistinct chatter) CHANDI: How? - CAITLYN: Chandi? - CHANDI: I got this one.
- CAITLYN: Chandi? - CHANDI: I got this one.
(indistinct chatter) Well, it actually was hard.
I grew up in a very religious family.
Many years I heard that my life was an abomination.
So I lost touch with God for many years.
I had to recognize the fact that God knew who I was before I did.
So how can I be falling out of touch with God when he knew before I did.
It's a connection that I've made that now that I have, I'll never let it go again.
(Applause) KATE: My daughter is a high-ranking executive in the Church of Scientology.
And to Scientologists, my trans-ness is proof that I am an evil person and should not be talked with.
So I haven't seen her since she was nine.
She's now 42, 43 years old.
I haven't completely given up hope.
I haven't, and especially getting some strength from the women I'm traveling with now.
And just being able to say this to you.
Look for the heart of the doctrine you're following.
And if it's at all mean, think twice before following it any further.
- Thank you.
- (Applause) STUDENT: So, my question is what kind of pronouns should we be using when referring to you? CAITLYN: Uh, for me the pronoun thing changed immediately when Vanity Fair came out.
- Now I go by, uh, "she.
" - KATE: I prefer the pronoun "they.
" I don't mind "she.
" - CHANDI: I go by Beyoncé pronouns.
- (Laughter, applause) Boom! Boom! STUDENT 2: Okay, so my question is how has living as a woman and facing the woes in life, living as a woman, affected you? CANDIS: I, I don't know.
I feel ten times more powerful as a woman.
- I do.
- (Applause) I always felt nothing made sense before, and as soon as I transitioned, I had a light inside me that nobody's gonna (bleep) with me.
- I'm sorry.
- (students cheering) CHANDI: I think that the the power is is great, but I think in relationships, it allows me to think like he's thinking.
I still can recognize game.
- And I love that part.
- STUDENT: Yeah! (applause) Can I get a witness? ELLA: Um, I honestly think being a woman has nothing to do with the physicality of our beings.
Um, I am the same exact person I was, uh, before my transition.
Your life is always evolving and not every day is going to be the best day.
- CHANDI: Right.
- ELLA: But you know, you can make it the best day as possible, so (applause) CHANDI: I totally love Ella, and before we left on the trip, I told her, "Ella, we want you to be a sponge and we want you to absorb all this knowledge that is around you.
" And in that moment, she was just so poised and just being able to see her grow around us and see how we're all individually rubbing off on her makes that so beautiful.
STUDENT: I just want to get your input on how happy you guys are right now? 'Cause you guys look happy.
CAITLYN: Honestly, for years and years, I struggled.
I would literally go to my house, uh, never really coming out.
That was really, really tough times for me.
And I had lost that spirit for life, because I just didn't know who I was.
I have to admit today I can't wait I can't wait for the day to get started.
I'm excited about life.
I got things to do.
I love myself.
That was a long struggle.
(applause) JENNY: In Graceland College, I think in some ways the tables were turned.
I think that it was Caitlyn's turn to be a little bit afraid of what we might say.
But everybody on that stage was remarkably eloquent.
We didn't know how we were gonna be received when we got there.
And people were not just respectful, but interested and supportive, which I think - caught us all by surprise.
- CAITLYN: What a privilege it has been to talk to all my little brothers and sisters of Graceland.
Go out there, be your true self.
And kick butt and work hard.
(students cheering) CHANDI: - STUDENT: I figured.
- CHANDI: It's always about the bad stuff, so thank you for that.
CAITLYN: Did I do okay, buddy? JERRY: - CAITLYN: Thank you.
- JERRY: - CAITLYN: No, there's, there's mostly great - JERRY: CAITLYN: Those girls I got with me are just phenomenally good.
I think probably the most important thing of of my story is that no matter what your situation is, that that they can live their lives authentically.
They can overcome the obstacles that they have in life.
'Cause everybody has them.
That's my mission.
Caitlyn, you guys did good! - You guys did so good! - ZACKARY: You were really great.
CAITLYN: I'm so proud of you! It's not just trans issues.
It's about dealing with all of our stuff that we have.
CANDIS: Thank you for bringing me there.
I was a little nervous and I was a little hard on you and I I'm sorry.
CAITLYN: Oh, it's okay.
It's okay.
CANDIS: And I'm gonna be more open to - CAITLYN: Say it.
- (Laughs) CANDIS: I'll be a little bit more open to your conservative views.
CAITLYN: Ooh, I like that.
I love that.
- We still got a long ways to go.
- CANDIS: We do.
- CAITLYN: We're only in Lamoni.
- CANDIS: I know! CAITLYN: We have plenty of time to discuss.
TRAINER: Pick it up.
Squat down.
CANDIS: This trainer, he's really yummy.
And he seems like he's flirting back.
This is the longest I've been without a relationship.
TRAINER: I think it might be just around the corner.
- CAITLYN: Disick is in the house.
- SCOTT: Hello! CAITLYN: Scott is kind of unpredictable.
I I hope we see the good side.
SCOTT: I haven't talked to you all night.
CAITLYN: I know.
COURTNEY: CAITLYN: No, I'm not ignoring him - he's over there.
- SCOTT: I'm gonna put myself to bed.

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