The beauty store chain Ulta Beauty hosted Dylan Mulvaney, a biological male, during its “The Joy Of Girlhood” segment last week.
Mulvaney sat down with David Lopez, who was also born a male. The two biological men explained to women what being a woman truly means. Ulta did not include a single biological woman on the set.
#Mansplaining?
Mulvaney says they — Mulvaney identifies as “they/them” — plans to become a mother soon.
The episode promoted the idea that one can use products from Ulta to become more of a woman — that “womanhood” is something one can essentially buy at the market. Maybe the price of being a woman will soon go on sale?
Ulta expected social media users to cheer the segment for its inclusion and support for transgender people. Rather, users frowned upon the messaging. Ultra sought approval and failed.
Women, in particular, pushed back to call the segment insulting. The Daily Mail documented the women who felt the conversation normalized the idea that “womanhood” is merely a costume.
Calls to boycott Ultra ensued:
The supposedly inclusive wing of society has long vowed to fight for women. Yet it continuously disregards the feelings of women by appropriating the female gender down to a choice, not dissimilar to a hairstyle.
For example, no one bothered to ask female athletes how they felt about Lia Thomas, a biological male, competing with them in the swimming pool. Or if they were comfortable with Thomas walking around naked with male genitalia in the female locker room.
Finally, OutKick had to ask them. Shocker: the women never wanted to compete and change their clothes next to a biological man.
Too bad. “Inclusion” is at stake.
Similarly, women are distraught that a leading beauty product company would mainstream the idea that womanhood is a game. Female consumers took issue with Dylan calling female genitals a “Barbie pouch.”
The Daily Mail report added that Ulta Beauty is hiding comments on its webpage from women who disapprove of the segment. Women’s voices do not matter to Ulta.
Ulta emphasized that it defers to individuals who were born as men on the topic of “womanhood.” Ulta diminished women by hosting a program about “being a girl” that excluded the opinions of biological girls.
Ulta told women they are not unique, and that they best get in line with what “progress” has come to mean.
Washington Examiner journalist Kimberly Ross made this ample point on social media, saying:
“These are NOT females. These are males masquerading as women and attempting to co-opt our experience. It is not progress, it’s a slap in the face. This is not “girlhood.” I’m not amused.”
Corporate brands never cared much about women. Instead, companies sought the marketing advantages that came with pretending to promote female empowerment. This is evident by how swiftly brands like Ulta have downgraded the importance of women.
Ulta Beauty thought putting Mulvaney on a pedestal above biological women would be an advantageous marketing scheme. It wasn’t.