Ipsy Celebrates Pride Month By Declaring Trans Women Inauthentic

UPDATE: The model featured in the Ipsy campaign has come forward making a statement with regard to the video and the public response to it. While I will leave judgement to your discretion, I ask that you listen. I believe her, and found her candor, her willingness to engage with the community and eagerness to understand, learn and most importantly, listen to those willing to teach is an unusual response that we typically don’t receive from an individual, much less a brand. This is something valuable, and I can only hope a growing trend in media.

California based company Ipsy founded by ex-youtube make-up expert (And one of the first YouTube Millionaires) Michelle Phan, sells its customers a box of five make-up samples a month for a small subscription fee. It is used by both women and men, alike. I personally know Drag Queens, gender fluid, non binary and transgender women who anxiously await their Ipsy delivery to see what beauty products they can add to their growing collection of products.

It made sense that Ipsy would celebrate Pride month along with their LGBTQIAA customers, and they did so by releasing a short, controversial video featuring a woman emphasizing the difference between “Authentic women” and “Transgender women.”

Ouch.

Immediately the Model opens the video by stating “I’m attracted to women” before going on to assert the difference between Trans women and “Authentic cisgender women.” To most of my readers, it really doesn’t need to be illustrated why the promotional pride video is both problematic and full of prejudice.

For those wondering what the fuss is all about, however, I’ll explain. The video implies that Transgender women — always the target during pride month as…