Amazing what a little international publicity, a Change.org pettition with over 40,000 signatures, social media outrage and hiring Gloria Allred as your attorney will do to overcome blatant anti-trans discrimination.The Trump-owned Miss Universe organization bowed to the media firestorm and reversed their decision to bar Ms. Talackova from the Miss Universe Canada pageant because she was trans. The 23 year old Vancouver born beauty was selected as one of the 65 contestants to participate in the May 19 event in Toronto.
“The Miss Universe Organization 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,” Michael D. Cohen, executive vice president and special counsel to Donald Trump, said in an email.
Talackova was scheduled to appear in a press conference in Los Angeles with Allred later today to outline why she should be allowed to compete and the steps Allred was preparing to take on behalf of her client if it didn't happen.
The nebulous 'natural born woman' rule they instituted in 2001 was bull feces to begin with. Hopefully the Miss Universe organization will permanently do away with that discriminatory and transphobic rule so that transwomen who desire to compete in the Miss Universe national pageants around the world and meet the entrance requirements will no longer be barred from doing so.
Good luck Jenna. You're on your way to making some trans history when you step on the stage next month. I and your transsisters around the world hope that you at least make the semifinalist round in the Miss Canada Universe pageant.
And if you're blessed enough to win the 2012 Miss Canada Universe title, we'll be cheering for you at the Miss Universe pageant in December
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