Jenna Talackova: Transgender Miss Universe Contestant Considers Suing Trump's Pageant
Jenna Talackova, the Miss Universe Canada contestant who was disqualified from the pageant because she is transgender, has spoken out against Donald Trump and the pageant's organizers.
The organizers decision caused outrage in both Canada and the United States. As soon as Talackova and her attorney Gloria Allred, announced that they would be holding a press conference last week; the organizers of the pageant reversed their decision.
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, who owns the competition, said in an e-mailed statement.
Talackova has not yet confirmed whether she will be participating in the competition, but speaking at the press conference her attorney suggested that her client was considering suing the organizers of the competition, People Magazine reported.
Jenna entered this competition and gave the pageant her time, her best efforts and her money, Allred said. She did not think for one moment that what she might have looked like at birth would be relevant. She did not ask Mr. Trump to prove that he is a naturally born man, or to see the photos of his birth, to view his anatomy, to prove that he was male. It made no difference to her. Why should it have made a difference to him?
Allred explained that pageant organizers choice to reverse their decision didn't go far enough and fails to state that the rule about naturally born women will be eliminated. We are considering all of Jenna's legal options. Allred added.
According to TMZ ,Trump has refused to apologize for disqualifying Jenna last week from the Miss Universe pageant on the basis of her birth gender. Despite overturning his position he added that he couldn't care less if Jenna even competes.
Talackova, 23, was born male but has first identified as female since the age of 4, according to People Magazine. She began hormone therapy at 14 before having gender reassignment surgery when she was 19.
When I was selected as a finalist, I was thrilled. I had always dreamed of being in the Miss Universe competition, and having an opportunity to represent my country, Canada, she said at the press conference. She said the decision to boot from the competition was unjust.
More than 28,000 supporters had signed an online petition demanding the reinstatement of the transgender model.
Talackova is waiting on Trump and his organization as a whole to fully eliminate the rule from the competition before she re-considers her position.
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