Jazz Jennings has chosen to take the high road.
Which is a lot more than one can say about Derick Dillard.
Earlier this week, the conservative TLC reality star took aim at his fellow TLC reality star by slamming both her gender and the community she represents.
(Jennings stars on I Am Jazz, a program that chronicles her life as a 16-year old transgender individual.)
In response to a promo for Jennings’ series, Dillard wrote the following on Wednesday:
“What an oxymoron… a ‘reality’ show which follows a non-reality. ‘Transgender’ is a myth. Gender is not fluid; it’s ordained by God.”
Dillard, of course, stars opposite his wife and in-laws on Counting On… and is clearly a moron.
Aside from his cruel ignorance on the topic of transgender and identity, this is a man whose wife was molested many years ago by her own brother and whose parents proceeded to cover up the entire scandal.
Some sort of saying about stones, throwing said stones and living in a glass house comes to mind.
In response to Dillard’s idiocy, Jennings took to Twitter on Thursday.
But she didn’t lash out. She didn’t name call. She didn’t stoop to any kind of immature or even remotely mean level.
Instead, this teenager proved why she’s considered wise beyond her years, the perfect role model for a show anchored within the LGBT community.
“Every day I experience cyber-bullying, but I keep sharing my story. Today was no different,” Jazz simply wrote of Derick’s critique
Dillard is standing by his viewpoint; he has yet to delete his tweet or say anything in public about his stance, letting his ridiculous words speak for themselves.
TLC has said the following in a statement, though:
“Derick Dillard’s personal statement does not represent the views of TLC.”
Thankfully, moreover, many social media users have also come to Jennings’ defense.
“Is it necessary for a grown man to throw shade at a teenage girl?” asked one Twitter user, while another added:
“Bullying a teenage girl? How brave and ‘godly’ you are.”
Elsewhere, Vanderpump Rules star Jax Taylor jumped into the fray.
“You married a delusional piece of shit,” the E! star wrote to Jill Duggar, adding: “He’s probably hiding he’s [gay].”
Ironically, just the day before he insulted Jennings and everyone else like her, Dillard got the Internet buzzing when he Liked a seemingly pro-LGBT Tweet.
“No one should be fired for being gay,” wrote Richard Grenell, a long-serving spokesman for the United States at the United Nations.
“And no one should be fired for being a Christian. We should be able to work through these issues.”
In hindsight, however, perhaps Dillard was only Liked the “Christian” part of this statement.
Despite the viral attack from a television personality who has millions of fans for some reason, Jazz does not seem deterred.
Just consider the caption she wrote along with the photo below:
Despite being in the public eye, I think it’s vital to always stay true to my authentic character.
By being a happy teenage girl who is proud to be transgender, I hope I can guide others to also love themselves and learn to embrace their unique qualities.
There is no greater validation than learning to accept what makes you who you are.
Amen, right?
You keep doing you, Jazz.
Someone such as Derick Dillard is most certainly not worth a nanosecond of your time or energy.
