The husband of Moira Smith, an NYPD officer killed on September 11, 2001, is publicly returning a “Woman of the Year” award given to her by Glamour magazine.
James Smith said he FedExed the award back to the magazine after hearing that it had also been awarded to Caitlyn Jenner.
Smith posted an open letter to Glamour Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive on Facebook, writing that he found the magazine’s choice to honour Jenner “insulting” to his late wife’s memory, “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?” he 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 officers and fire-fighters 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?”
“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,” he concluded.
Glamour has since responded, standing by their decision to honour Jenner.
“Glamour was proud to honor Police Officer Moira Smith in 2001 and we stand by our decision to honor Caitlyn Jenner among our class of winners in 2015,” a Glamour spokeswoman told ET.
“Caitlyn Jenner has helped shine a light on the problems faced by transgender youth and given voice to a community that is often unheard. Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards recognizes brave, bold women who in their individual ways have all made a significant difference in the world.”
Jenner herself has not yet spoken out about the controversy.
