What it's about

In the musical A Chorus Line, gifted dancer Val, who had been unable to land a job despite countless attempts, tells about having seen her audition sheet and reading, "Dance - 10, Looks - 3". As she then explains,

Dance: ten; Looks; three.
And I' still on unemployment,
Dancing for my own enjoyment.
That ain't it, kid. That ain't it, kid.

"Dance: ten; Looks; three,"
I like to die!
Left the theater and
Called the doctor for
My appointment to buy...

Tits and ass.
Bought myself a fancy pair.
Tightened up the derriere.
Did the nose with it.
All that goes with it.

Tits and ass!
Had the bingo-bongos done.
Suddenly I'm getting national tours!
Tits and ass won't get you jobs
Unless they're yours.

In the lead-up to her song, she said that her mother had tried to encourage her as a shapeless young girl by telling her that her looks didn't matter. What mattered was that she had a special quality. Val's response?

"Special is nice, but it sure isn't pretty.
Pretty is what it's about.
I never met anyone who was special
who hadn't figured that out."

That scene comes to mind as I reflect on the ongoing problems some people in this country -- Land of the Free -- have with treating all citizens equally, and the real problems this continues to cause for those of us who are not yet treated as equal citizens, entitled to all the rights and benefits that citizenship supposedly guarantees. (Part of this reflection is due to a contretemps with the Social Security Administration, about which I cannot talk.) 

 Something is something, but it sure isn't equality. Equality's what it's about. I never met a "second class person" who hadn't figured that out.