You may remember how a Canadian Miss Universe hopeful, Jenna Talackova, was disqualified from the competition last week because she was born male.
 
In a move that has this trans ally feeling cautiously optimistic, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has worked with the Miss Universe Organization to reinstate Talackova in the competition. Which is all very well and good, except . . .
 
Well, if you look through Queerty’s news, you’ll find a recent article about a transgender woman who was violently murdered in Detroit, which I'm guessing most people haven't even heard or read about. Equality Michigan released a statement detailing that it wasn’t clear if Coko Williams, the victim, was engaged in sex work at the time, although it is pointed out that sex workers are all too often targets of extreme violence.
 
Every victory is important, and we’re all working toward the bigger picture . . . but really, are beauty pageants our priority? Maybe we should extend basic human privileges like the “right to life, liberty and security of person” to everyone, especially focusing on the needs of marginalized communities, which, despite Talackova's success, the trans community remains a part of.