Transgender Miss Universe
Transgender Miss Universe_A Canadian beauty pageant contestant who was disqualified when the Miss Universe Canada organizers discovered she was transgender said Tuesday she had been devastated by the decision and wanted a clear change in the rules.
After initially disqualifying Talackova, organizers of the Miss Universe beauty pageant reversed course late Monday, saying she can participate.
In a statement, the Miss Universe Organization said Jenna Talackova can compete provided "she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions."
The statement, however, did not elaborate on what the requirements were.
The 6-foot-1-inch blond model told a news conference Tuesday of the pain the row had caused her.
"I am a woman. I was devastated and I felt that excluding me for the reason that they gave was unjust," she said.
Talackova, a 23-year-old Vancouver resident, also called on Donald Trump, who owns the Miss Universe competition, to state "in plain words" whether she will be able to compete and go forward to the Miss Universe final if she wins her country's contest.
"I have never asked for any special consideration. I only wanted to compete," she said.
"I also want Mr. Trump to clearly state that this rule will be eliminated because I do not want any other woman to suffer the discrimination that I have to endure."
Speaking to CNN Tuesday, Trump said that according to the laws of Canada and the United States, Talackova should be allowed to enter the pageant.
"So she will be entering the Miss Canada pageant, but we went strictly by the laws," he said.
"As with any competition, the Miss Universe pageant has rules that apply to all of its franchises around the world. Such rules include, but are not limited to, citizenship, age, and marital status requirements. Additionally, the rules currently state that all contestants must be naturally born females," the Miss Universe organization said.
Those rules are not posted on the Miss Universe website.
High profile feminist lawyer Gloria Allred, speaking alongside Talackova, also said Trump needed to clear up the confusion over Talackova's participation.
"We need a clear answer -- not a wimpy, wishy-washy type of answer -- but something that we can take to the bank. Will Jenna be allowed to compete or not? Will he eliminate this abhorrent rule or not?"
Allred said Talackova, who until Tuesday had not spoken to reporters, was considering all legal options.
source: cnn