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Caitlyn Jenner has been criticized for being a symbol of rich, white privilege rather than a champion for the transgender community — and Season 2 of her reality show goes out of its way to validate that criticism.

About the best thing you can say about the current season of "I Am Cait" is that, unlike Season 1, it's not deadly dull. But that is coming at the expense of Jenner.

Last season on "I Am Cait," other members of the transgender community questioned if Jenner's privileged status would make it impossible for her to be a symbol and spokeswoman. Their fears have proven to be well-grounded.

They're being sold out by Jenner, who (in an interview with The Advocate) expressed support for a GOP presidential candidate — in this case, Ted Cruz — whom Jenner herself described as "one of the worst ones" on transgender issues. (Cruz has consistently opposed transgender and gay rights.)

If a transphobic candidate is elected president, that's not going to affect Jenner's life. She's insulated by her wealth and her fame.

And she readily admitted to TV critics that "Republicans haven't been very good on this issue. … Certainly the Democrats have been better on this issue."

But she praises Republicans and disparages (in profane terms) Democrats. She argues that she's trying to change the GOP from within.

"I try to tell the girls … isn't it good that they have an ally, somebody on the team that can go in there and maybe change their minds?" Jenner said. "That's a good thing. That's kind of the way I look at it."

Of course she looks at it that way. That it's a pipe dream is evident to everyone but her.

What we're learning about Jenner is that she lacks common sense. Turns out that the Cruz campaign has not contacted her about being his "trans ambassador," and she said she was "kind of surprised" by that.

She's the only person on Earth who is.

Jenner is certainly entitled to her opinion and entitled to vote for whomever she wishes. But this is more than just a personal opinion. She's set herself up as a symbol and a spokeswoman for transgender people — perhaps to keep the reality-TV money flowing — and bears an additional responsibility because of that.

Her protestations to the contrary ring hollow.

"I am not a spokesman for this community," Jenner told TV critics. "Everybody in the media kind of puts me in that because, obviously, I'm in the media a lot. But I am only a spokesman for me and my story."

Well, there's an old political trick — blame the media. Because the media are to blame for all of her reality shows, apparently.

But it's downright dishonest to insist you're not a spokeswoman and then say, "I want to change people's thinking on this issue. … These are smart, intelligent, fun people to be around, and they need to be represented positively out there."

If you don't want this role, get off TV. Don't show up to accept awards. Keep your mouth shut. Live a quiet life away from the cameras.

It's not as if Jenner is insulated from the knowledge that she is, indeed, a role model.

Ella Giselle, an 18-year-old who joined "I Am Cait" for Season 2, said Season 1 of the show was "this legitimizing moment of who I was. … The moment Cait came out and the show started, it was almost like I was someone. I wasn't just that person that people didn't really care to know what was going on or who I was."

Jenner certainly seemed to be listening as Giselle spoke.

That Jenner received ESPN's Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPYs in July 2015 now is clearly ridiculous.

A 66-year-old, rich, privileged person who has spent years on reality television, who had a deal for another such show and who goes public as transgender doesn't even begin to compare to young people who risk being thrown out of their homes — who risk physical abuse — when they tell their friends and families they are transgender.

Those people are actually brave.

Scott D. Pierce covers television for The Salt Lake Tribune . Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce. —

On TV

New episodes of the reality series "I Am Cait" premiere Sundays on E! — at 7 p.m. on DirecTV and Dish and at 10 p.m. on Comcast.