Jenna Talackova Removed from Miss Universe Canada for Being Transgender

[Swinny]

Jenna Talackova Removed from Miss Universe Canada for Being Transgender

Should transgender women be allowed to compete in female beauty pageants?

That's the question at the center of a heated scandal involving one Canadian pageant contestant. Jenna Talackova, 23, was born male but has identified as a female since age 4. She began hormone therapy at 14 and underwent gender reassignment surgery at 19.

On Friday, Talackova, a Vancouver resident, was booted from the Miss Universe Canada competition "because she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form," the organization said in a statement. "We do, however, respect her goals, determination and wish her the best."

According to The Province newspaper, Talackova was selected among 65 finalists for the 2012 competition. She was removed from the competition despite there being no mention of rules regarding sex changes, The Province reports.

"I am very disappointed with the decision taken by the Miss Universe ... organizers," Talackova said in a statement released Monday. "However, I will look to turn this situation into a positive so that other people in a similar situation are not discriminated against in the future."

In a 2010 interview for Thailand's Miss International Queen, a pageant for transgendered women, Talackova was asked whether she regards herself as transgender or as a woman. "I regard myself as a woman … with a history," she said.

'Rules Very Clear'
But the head of the pageant says there are rules regarding a contestant's gender at birth. The national director of Miss Universe Canada says that Talackova indicated on her registration form that she was born a female but later admitted that she was born a male, India Today reports.

"She feels like a real girl and she is a real girl. She didn't expect people to question it," Denis Davila told the publication. "She was hoping we could put her back in the competition, but the rules are very clear, and there's no way we can go back on it."

Reactions to Talackova's story have been mixed. Detractors maintain that only natural-born women should be allowed to compete in traditional women's beauty pageants. But the ousted beauty queen also has her supporters – more than 20,000 of them and counting.

A change.org petition has netted 20,171 signatures in an effort to reverse the decision to disqualify Talackova from the the Donald Trump-owned pageant. Talackova is expected to release a statement this week after speaking with her lawyer.

In a statement Monday afternoon, the Miss Universe Organization said: "As with any competition, the Miss Universe pageant has rules which 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. After review, organizers discovered that Jenna Talackova falsified her application and did not meet the necessary requirements to compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada pageant."

People

 

[Mitch Buchannon]

We talked about this in politics class the other day. I think the class was unanimous in that the rules for Miss Universe Canada circumvent the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

 

[TroyTheAverage]

If there is nothing in the rules, I don't see why she wouldn't be allowed to be in it, even though she used to be a man.

 

[Fuji Vice]

I don't care if she's transgender, she shouldn't be in the contest because she's not that hot.

 

[JakeYourBooty]

Yeah I have def seen wayyy hotter Canadians

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[TroyTheAverage]

I'd do her. :shifty:

 

[JakeYourBooty]

I'd do her preop. :shifty:

Fixed it for ya


Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[TroyTheAverage]

I would do her/he that way too. She is a good looking dude. Besides, I only need one hole.

 

[JakeYourBooty]

U never let me down

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[TroyTheAverage]

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

 

[JakeYourBooty]

Wow u just rick rolled me...I thought we were friends

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[TroyTheAverage]

I couldn't help myself.

 

[Swinny]

Transgender Miss Universe Canada Contestant Jenna Talackova Allowed to Compete

Transgender Miss Universe Canada Contestant Jenna Talackova Allowed to Compete

It looks like Jenna Talackova still has a shot at being crowned Miss Universe 2012.

The 23-year-old was disqualified from the competition last week because she is a transgender woman, but the Miss Universe Organization has reversed its decision and is working with GLAAD to update its policies on such issues.

The organization said in a statement that it "will allow Jenna Talackova to compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada pageant provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions."

"The Miss Universe Organization made the right decision and has taken an important first step," said GLAAD spokesperson Herndon Graddick. "Now, GLAAD urges the Organization to include all women and use this incident to speak out in support of the transgender community."

"So many women today do not have equal opportunities for employment, housing and safety simply because they are transgender. The Miss Universe Organization should look to state non-discrimination laws and institutions including the Olympics, NCAA and The CW's America's Next Top Model, which do not discriminate against transgender women."

E Online

 

[Fuji Vice]

She's probably going to win now with the sympathy vote.

 

[TroyTheAverage]

As she should.