Transgender finalist booted from Trump-owned beauty pageant
Mon. March 26, 2012 8:15 AM by Wisconsin Gazette
Toronto -
A transgendered woman who reached the finals of the Miss Vancouver contest was booted from the competition after officials discovered she was not born female.
VancJenna Talackova, 23, began hormone therapy when she was 14 and underwent surgical reassignment five years later.
But Denis Davila, the national director of the pageant, which is owned by Donald Trump, told the Toronto Star that the competition's rules clearly stated that the contestants must be a "naturally born female." He said that he had suspected that Talackova was not physically born a woman, and she confirmed his suspicion.
"She feels like a real girl and she is a real girl. She didn't expect people to question it," Davila said in a statement. "She was hoping we could put her back in the competition, but the rules are very clear and there's no way we can go back on it."
"I'm disqualified, however I'm not giving up," Talackova tweeted. "I'm not going to just let them disqualify me over discrimination."
VancJenna Talackova, 23, began hormone therapy when she was 14 and underwent surgical reassignment five years later.
But Denis Davila, the national director of the pageant, which is owned by Donald Trump, told the Toronto Star that the competition's rules clearly stated that the contestants must be a "naturally born female." He said that he had suspected that Talackova was not physically born a woman, and she confirmed his suspicion.
"She feels like a real girl and she is a real girl. She didn't expect people to question it," Davila said in a statement. "She was hoping we could put her back in the competition, but the rules are very clear and there's no way we can go back on it."
"I'm disqualified, however I'm not giving up," Talackova tweeted. "I'm not going to just let them disqualify me over discrimination."
Article provided in partnership with Wisconsin Gazette.