Darlene Jespersen had been a bartender at Harrah's in Reno for more than 20 years --with outstanding job performance -- when she refused to adhere to their new appearance rules that required her to wear powder, blush, mascara, and lipstick. Harrah's actually made up Jespersen they way they wanted her to look -- part of what they called their "Personal Best" program, photographed her, and then required her to look exactly like that photograph. Click here for the photos of Jespersen. Jespersen gave it a try but ultimately could not bear it. She described it as demeaning. So Harrah's fired her.

Lambda Legal represented Jespersen in an action against Harrah's charging them with unlawful sex-stereotyping (since, of course, only women -- and all women -- had to wear this kind of make=up) Jespersen lost, all the way to the full Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals. That left Harrah's free to discriminate against any gender non-conforming employee.

So I'm happy to give them their due for their active, persistent and successful efforts to get domestic partner status in Nevada. But before I give them my business (I stayed away from their hotels and casinos when I visited Las Vegas in 2007), I'd like to know if they are still firing -- and not hiring -- women who won't make themselves up to look what Harrah's thinks is their "personal best" but is really just another way of demanding gender conformity,