Husband of late 9/11 hero returns her ‘Woman of the Year’ award after Caitlyn Jenner win
By Will Stroude
The husband of a New York policewoman killed during the 9/11 terror attacks has given back the ‘Women of the Year’ award she was given posthumously by Glamour magazine, in protest at the publication’s decision to give an award to Caitlyn Jenner earlier this month.
James Smith told The NY Daily Post that after learning that Jenner had received the Transgender Champion award at this year’s Glamour Women of the Year ceremony, he sent his late wife Moira’s award back to the magazine.
Moira died aged 38 after rushing into the south tower to help evacuate civilians during the attacks on the World Trade centre in September 2001, and was posthumously given a ‘Woman of the Year’ award that December.
In an open letter on Facebook, Smith explained he was “shocked and saddened” by Glamour’s decision to honour Jenner, calling it “insulting” to the memory of his late wife.
“Was there no woman in America, or the rest of the world, more deserving than this man?” Smith wrote. “At a time when we have women in the armed forces fighting and dying for our country, heroic doctors fighting deadly diseases, women police and firefighters putting their lives on the line for total strangers, brave women overcoming life threatening diseases… the list of possibilities goes on… is this the best you could do?”
Glamour magazine has defended its decision to give the award the Jenner, saying the magazine was proud to honour both women.
“We were proud to honor his wife… in 2001, and we stand by our decision to honor Caitlyn Jenner,” a spokeswoman said. “Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards recognize women with a variety of backgrounds and experiences.”
You can read James Smith’s full Facebook post below:
Meanwhile, footage emerged last week of Jenner confronting a group of angry protesters calling her an “insult to trans woman” outside an LGBT charity event – click here to check it out.
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