[Screenshot from Mic via Twitter, cropped and reframed, https://twitter.com/mic/status/905854711206727681?]
A man identifying as a woman wants to be Miss Oregon, but the pageant’s disqualified him. Therefore, he’s suing United States of America Pageants.
His lawsuit claims discrimination, and he’s seeking “unspecified monetary damages.”
He is, of course, right: To exclude men discriminates against them. The question, then, is whether a privately-owned business may only allow women. Or men.
Anita Noelle Green apparently thinks No.
He wants to continue his path to evening wear glory: As reported by The Associated Press, the guy already holds the title of 2019 Miss Earth Elite Oregon.
And in September 2017, he vied for Miss Montana but didn’t quite take home the tiara.
Anita Green: First Transgender who Competed for Miss Montana USA Pageant https://t.co/E28pbEN85b pic.twitter.com/y0NBKyTeuq
— totofacon (@totofacon) April 30, 2018
Having already strutted his stuff with the gals in mountain country, he was perhaps caught off guard when Oregon told him he was too much man for them to handle.
The suit was filed Tuesday in Portland’s U.S. District Court.
Though United States of America Pageants operates out of Nevada (and isn’t associated with Miss Montana, to be clear), Anita’s insisting it must adhere to Oregon’s public accommodation law.
And heck — Mr. Green wasn’t even trying to get into the pageant — he was recruited.
The Oregonian notes that, according to the complaint, a rep from the pageant contacted him on Facebook and encouraged him to give it a go. But once the organization figured out he was a dude, they gave him the stamp of disapproval.
Here are the pageant’s current stated eligibility requirements:
1. Is at least 29 years of age or older.
2. Is a U.S. citizen or has been granted Permanent Residency by the United States. Is a resident, works, or goes to school in the state they are competing.
3. Is a natural born female.
4. Has never posed nude in film or print media.
5. Is single, divorced, widowed, with or without children.
Meet Anita Green, the first openly transgender pageant contestant to compete in Miss Montana USA https://t.co/uYatB1qnXO pic.twitter.com/gGvZ6uxjed
— Mic (@mic) September 7, 2017
The suit contends Anita’s participation in pageants “affirms [his] identity as a woman,’’ adds to his “sense of femininity and beauty,’’ bolsters his confidence, helps him get better at public speaking, and gives him a platform to be an example for others.
And he wants to be heard.
Thankfully,the Miss Earth pageant, as per its website, allows him to “to be a voice for environmental responsibility, while featuring these beauties for a cause in fashion, media and leadership opportunities.”
Here’s the language from the lawsuit:
“Defendant’s ‘natural born female’ policy is not only unlawful, but it sends a hurtful and false message to transgender women that they are not women. Pageants that operate in Oregon must comply with Oregon law and may not discriminate on the basis of gender-identity. We hope that Miss United States of America, LLC (pageants) follow other pageants, like the Miss Universe pageant, and take this opportunity to do the right thing and revoke their discriminatory ban on transgender women competing in their pageants.”
Meet Anita Green, the first openly transgender pageant contestant to compete in Miss Montana USA https://t.co/aQ5uLoxtos pic.twitter.com/TDHQp813gd
— Liberal Resistance (@LiberalResist) September 7, 2017
As relayed by Willamette Week, Anita believes he should be validated, regardless of what anyone thinks:
“I felt as though I was being invalidated. I felt as though the organization was saying I am not a woman and I’m not woman enough. … This is about justice and it’s about righting a wrong. No matter what anyone thinks about pageants, trans women should have the choice to compete just like anyone else.”
-ALEX
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