Victories and Losses

I have so much to write about.

First of all, can we discuss how Ellen is the new face of Covergirl? When I first found out, I was pretty excited. Choosing an out lesbian, not to mention not stereotypically beautiful, fifty year old woman as a spokesperson for a makeup company is a pretty big deal. But as someone who has a problem with the makeup industry in general (that women have to look a certain way in order to be considered beautiful...take the WNBA makeovers or Rachel Maddow's recent makeover, for example), this whole thing seems kind of twisted.

I just hope that they don't make her over too much. I know that she wears makeup on her show because you have to wear makeup on television and whatnot... so I'm hoping they play from that angle. It is still great for her though. Hopefully the ads can work with her to reform traditional beauty ideals for women.

Next, according to feministing.com, "For the first time in the history of Title VII, the federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, a federal trial court has ruled that a woman-born-man, Diane Schroer, can recover for discrimination, because discrimination against a man transitioning to being a woman is discrimination "based on . . . sex."

Ummmmmmmmmmmm AWESOME. I am seriously very surprised and excited. When I first heard about the case I didn't think there would be this drastic of a response. Extending the definition of what gender-based discrimination is ... just amazing. Because women aren't the only gender-minorities anymore.

Of course, you have some good news, and you have some bad news. In our own Philadelphia, a transwoman is having problems using SEPTA because there is a required "M or F" sticker for a bus pass. She has been using an "F" sticker, but recently has been told she cannot ride the bus without an "M" sticker because she was born a man. Ridiculous.

Read more about it here