Miss Universe Reconsiders Transgender Ban After Allred News Conference Is Announced
Gloria Allred is still planning to hold a news conference today with a transgender woman who wants to compete in Miss Universe Canada, despite a possible reversal by the beauty pageant.
Shortly after Allred announced the press conference on Monday, Miss Universe said it may allow Jenna Talackova to compete after all, report the Associated Press and the Vancouver Sun. In an online statement, the organization said Talackova may compete “provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions.”
A Vancouver lawyer representing Talackova, Joe Arvay, told AP the Miss Universe Canada statement is “incomprehensible” and he plans to file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Arvay said the original pageant requirement for “natural born females” violates Canadian human rights legislation.
