NYPD officer Moira Smith was killed on September 11, 2001, after rushing into the World Trade Center’s South Tower. She posthumously received a Woman of the Year award from Glamour (she was the only female cop who died that horrible day), which her husband, James, mailed back to the magazine after the same designation was given to Caitlyn Jenner.
In a letter addressed to Glamour‘s New York office and posted to Facebook, James wrote that on October 29, 2001, he was “honored to accept” the award on his late wife’s behalf, but now he’s “shocked and saddened to learn” that Jenner won it this year. “I find it insulting to Moira Smith’s memory,” he wrote, “and the memory of other heroic women who have earned this award.”
Was there no woman in America, or the rest of the world, more deserving than this man? At a time when we have women in the armed forces fighting and dying for our country, heroic doctors fighting deadly diseases, women police officers 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? I can only guess that this was a publicity stunt meant to resuscitate a dying medium. After discussing this slap in the face to the memory of our Hero with my family, I have decided to return Moira’s award to Glamour Magazine. (Via)
In response, Glamour released a statement saying they were proud to honor both women, and that the “Women of the Year Awards recognizes brave, bold women who in their individual ways have all made a significant difference in the world.” Jenner wasn’t the only one feted at this year’s awards, which took place last week at Carnegie Hall; Victoria Beckham and Reese Witherspoon were, too, which seems like an insult to Moira and Caitlyn. They did something that took courage; Reese starred in Hot Pursuit.
(Via Facebook)