The Miss Universe pageant is changing its rules and will allow
transgender women to take part in all of its competitions starting in
2013, the organization and gay rights group GLAAD said on Tuesday.
Tuesday's decision follows a media outcry over the
disqualification of Canadian contestant Jenna Talackova from the
upcoming Miss Universe Canada contest because she was not a "naturally
born female."
Talackova 23, who underwent gender reassignment surgery when she
was 19, was reinstated to the Canadian competition last week by
businessman Donald Trump, who owns the Miss Universe organization.
Talackova has a Canadian passport, driver's license and other
documents that identify her as a woman
Following consultations with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation (GLAAD), Miss Universe "discussed a policy change that
includes transgender women in time for the start of this fall's 2013
pageant season; a time when most of the competitions around the world
begin to take place," the two groups said in a joint statement.
The change brings Miss Universe into line with other groups that
have taken a stand against discrimination of transgender women,
including the Olympics, the Girl Scouts of America and TV show
"America's Next Top Model", GLAAD said.
"We have a long history of supporting equality for all women and
this was something we took very seriously," said Paula Shugart,
president of the Miss Universe Organization.
The exact language, which will abolish the long-standing rule that
contestants must be "naturally born females," is still being worked
out, officials said.
National beauty pageants are currently being held around the world to
chose contestants to compete in the 2012 Miss Universe contest, to be
held later this year.
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