News / International
Transgender model kicked out from Miss Universe Canada pageant
26 Mar 2012 at 22:18hrs | Views
Jenna Talackova (center), who was born as a male, was kicked out of the Miss Universe Canada competition - CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images
Online support is mounting for the leggy blond beauty queen who said she was booted from the Miss Universe Canada pageant for being transgender.
Jenna Talackova, 23, was born as a male, but has identified as a female since age 4. She began hormone therapy at 14, and underwent gender reassignment surgery at 19, according to a 2010 interview.
On Friday, Miss Universe Canada released a statement explaining that Talackova was eliminated "because she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form."
A Change.org petition for the 6-foot-1 stunner's reinstatement into the competition launched shortly after, and has drawn more than 21,000 signatures.
Talackova herself took to Twitter to tell followers she was "disqualified for being born," and stated that she wouldn't stand for the discrimination, according to Canadian newspaper The Province.
While Miss Universe Canada's rules do not mention sex changes or cosmetic surgery, as the Change.org petition points out, they do state that each contestant must be a "naturally born female." Pageant officials insist Talackova was disqualified because she lied about this on her application, not because she is transgender.
"She was dishonest," Denis Davila, national director of Miss Universe Canada, told CTV News.
"We have to have the facts straight. There is no discrimination here at all," Davila said. "You can look at it the way she wants to look at it, but we all have to follow the same rules.
"It's really unfortunate that we had to pull her out of the competition, but the truth of the matter is that we all have a set of rules that we must enforce."
Talackova, whose name and photos have since been removed from the pageant's website, is expected to consult a lawyer this week.
Jenna Talackova, 23, was born as a male, but has identified as a female since age 4. She began hormone therapy at 14, and underwent gender reassignment surgery at 19, according to a 2010 interview.
On Friday, Miss Universe Canada released a statement explaining that Talackova was eliminated "because she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form."
A Change.org petition for the 6-foot-1 stunner's reinstatement into the competition launched shortly after, and has drawn more than 21,000 signatures.
Talackova herself took to Twitter to tell followers she was "disqualified for being born," and stated that she wouldn't stand for the discrimination, according to Canadian newspaper The Province.
While Miss Universe Canada's rules do not mention sex changes or cosmetic surgery, as the Change.org petition points out, they do state that each contestant must be a "naturally born female." Pageant officials insist Talackova was disqualified because she lied about this on her application, not because she is transgender.
"She was dishonest," Denis Davila, national director of Miss Universe Canada, told CTV News.
"We have to have the facts straight. There is no discrimination here at all," Davila said. "You can look at it the way she wants to look at it, but we all have to follow the same rules.
"It's really unfortunate that we had to pull her out of the competition, but the truth of the matter is that we all have a set of rules that we must enforce."
Talackova, whose name and photos have since been removed from the pageant's website, is expected to consult a lawyer this week.
Source - NYDaily
