Vancouver-born Talackova, 23, was dropped from Miss Universe Canada pageant two weeks ago because she was not a "natural born woman"
Jenna Talackova, right, was originally disqualified from Miss Universe for not being born female. The decision was reversed. Gloria Allred, Talackova's lawyer, laid the blame on Donald Trump, who heads the Miss Universe organization.
Donald Trump has stepped in to overturn a decision by the Miss Universe Organization — which he owns — that would prevent a transgender Canadian beauty pageant contestant from competing because she was not "naturally born" a woman.
Jenna Talackova, a tall blond who underwent gender-reassignment surgery at age 19 and holds legal documents — including a passport, birth certificate and driver's licence — affirming her identity as a woman, wants pageant organizers to go further and drop eligibility rules she calls discriminatory.
The Vancouver-born Talackova, 23, was kicked out of the Miss Universe Canada competition last Friday after she was selected as one of 65 finalists. The winner of that contest, who ultimately will be crowned on May 19 in Toronto, will go on to represent Canada in the global Miss Universe Pageant later in the year.
"As long as she meets the standards of legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, which we understand that she does, Jenna Talackova is free to compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada pageant," said Michael Cohen, special counsel to Trump and executive vice president of his business group.
"Nobody is capitulating. Rather the Miss Universe organization is respecting the laws of Canada," Cohen told Reuters, adding that she, "like all the other contestants, is wished the best of luck by Mr. Trump."
He also said, "Assuming she wins, she would be the representative of that country (Canada)" in the larger Miss Universe Pageant.
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