• Bigots Pay More

    I’m frustrated about the slew of anti-LGBT laws that have passed and are under consideration all over the country. I was happy to see celebrities responding to the transphobic bathroom law in North Carolina – Bruce Springsteen cancelled his show and Mumford & Sons donated the profits from their North Carolina show to a local LGBT organization.

    SCOTUS APRIL 2015 LGBTQ 54663 by Ted Eytan from Flickr (Creative Commons License)
    SCOTUS APRIL 2015 LGBTQ 54663 by Ted Eytan from Flickr (Creative Commons License)

    I don’t live in North Carolina or Mississippi, but I want to respond to these anti-LGBT laws too. I’ve been reading the labels on products in my kitchen and bathroom to make sure I’m not buying things from those states. Originally I considered adding a “bigot fee” for any speaking engagement in a state that has an anti-LGBT law in place, but then I had a better idea.

    I raised my speaking fee and added the opportunity for discounts for those that qualify:

    • Equality Discount – for states, cities, and counties that don’t have anti-LGBT laws in place: $1,000 discount (Companies that opposed these laws before and after these laws passed also qualify – it’s not their fault the people in power are closed-minded jerks.)
    • Gender Neutral Bathrooms Discount – must be at hiring company and venue locations: $500 discount
    • Equal Pay Discount – if the hiring company can demonstrate they give equal pay to all genders in comparable positions: $500 discount
    • Non-Discrimination Discount – if the hiring company lists sexual orientation and gender expression in its non-discrimination policy: $500 discount

    If a company wants to hire me and they qualify for all the discounts, it’s a $2,500 savings. These are issues that are important to me and I’m happy to give discounts to those who share my views enough to implement change and stand for equality.

  • Day 84/90 – Doing My Own Thing

    Day 84 of the 90 Days of Awesome is in the bank! What made today awesome? I did my own thing today – whatever the spirit moved me to do.

    Sorry I don't have a photo from today's protest. Evo & I did the Topless Protest in 2013. I felt really pretty that day too. (Photo by Sheila Dee, used with permission.)
    Sorry I don’t have a photo from today’s protest. Evo & I did the Topless Protest in 2013. I felt really pretty that day too. (Photo by Sheila Dee, used with permission.)

    Often my weekends are used to catch up on errands, chores, and rest. Many times, I feel like I’m doing the things I “have to do” rather than the things I “get to do.” Today felt like a “get to do” type of day, even though the activities were mostly similar to other weeks.

    One of the things that made today special was the Topless Protest. This is an annual international event to bring awareness to the fact that men and women are treated on equally under the decency laws. This is true in Arizona – men can be legally topless in public but women are required to cover their areolas at all times (unless they’re breastfeeding). At the Topless Protest, men and women are often shirtless but cover their areolas to show that the law should be the same for all people. As a person who believes in gender equality, I believe the law should be changed so that there is one rule for all people.

    I felt really pretty at this event. I wore green shorts and a pair of dark silver star-shaped pasties. I also wore contacts, make up, and put glitter in my hair. Meeting other people at the protest was fun, but the actual march was so delayed that I had to invoke the Law of Two Feet and bail.

    So off I went with the rest of my day – running errands, doing laundry, writing blog posts, and doing some prep cooking for the week. Nothing was extraordinary, but because I was doing whatever I felt like doing in the moment, I felt happy.

    In case you missed it: Day 83 of the 90 Days of Awesome – I love documentaries.

  • Thoughts about School Dress Codes

    I’ve wanted to write a blog post about school dress codes for a while and it seems like now is a good time since kids will be heading back to the classroom this week after Winter Break. When I was in school, I wore a uniform for kindergarten through eighth grade and went to a high school with a strict dress code. We weren’t allowed to wear clothing with words or pictures on them, skirts and shorts had to be mid-thigh length, and guys couldn’t have long hair or facial hair.

    I saw a few images this fall that made me want to share some thoughts about dress codes. Here’s the first:

    Screenshot from Facebook taken in Fall 2014
    Screenshot from Facebook taken in Fall 2014

    I agree that wearing leggings or yoga pants does not make you look like a prostitute. However, I do believe that high school is a place to get people thinking about what is/is not an appropriate way to dress. If teenager’s job is to go to school, then part of that education is about how to present yourself. I agree that students’ dress should not be a distraction to learning, but it should take a lot to cross that line. Some of my classmates prided themselves of following the dress code while wearing absurd things like a 3-piece polyester plaid suit or pairing purple tights with a lime green dress. Whatever dress code you set, the kids are going to push back – and I actually encourage that if they can do it in clever ways that don’t break the rules.

    I had mixed feelings about this photo:

    Another Image from Facebook from Fall 2014
    Another Image from Facebook from Fall 2014

    On one hand, I’m a huge believer that we need to look at how children are socialized and work on teaching them that no one deserves to be objectified and no one should feel pressured to be in that role. If you find someone attractive, learn how to look discreetly.

    On the flip side, I agree that visible bra straps and short shorts have no place in the classroom and it’s fine to make any student who is violating the dress code to go change. But that has nothing to do with gender roles.

    Speaking of gender roles, these images made me think about what dress code I would create if I was responsible for a school. I support the idea that the same dress code should apply to boys and girls in regards to what garments may be worn and how long short/skirt lengths should be. I have no issue with a biological male student wearing a dress to school as long as they adhere to the same standards regarding dresses as the girls. Here’s the list I came up with:

    • Your appearance must be clean and neat – no ripped or stained clothing. Your hair must be neatly styled.
    • No facial hair.
    • Workout attire should only be worn during P.E.; exception for athletic shoes and socks.
    • No excessively baggy or tight clothing. No see-through clothing. No backless or sleeveless tops or dresses. No exposed cleavage or midriffs. (You should be able to raise both arms above your head without exposing any torso skin.)
    • No visible undergarments.
    • No leggings may be worn as pants but may be worn under shorts, skirt, or dress. No “skinny jeans.”
    • The hem of your shorts and skirts must be at least 5 inches from the bottom of your hip bone.
    • No visible tattoos unless you are at least 18 years old (because you have to be 18 to legally get a tattoo) and the image or verbiage must not be offensive.
    • No verbiage on your clothing except for small logos, unless it is official apparel from a legitimate school or college.
    • Your top must have sleeves.
    • Your shoes must have a closed toe and heel.
    • No hats or hoods may be worn in the building.
    • No pajamas, including slippers.

    I’m sure some people will think that it’s odd that someone like me – who wears t-shirts professionally and participates in the annual No Pants Ride would endorse such a conservative school dress code. (My high school alma mater’s dress code is actually more conservative than this.) But here’s the deal – I’m an adult. I know how to dress myself according to the situation. For many people, this will be the type of dress code you will have at your first job. Plus, I want young people to understand that they are more than their appearance. They’re in school to develop their minds so they can have the future that will give them the lifestyle (including dress code) that they want.