After the controversy surrounding trans contestant Jenna Talackova, the Miss Universe pageant says it will now allow transgender women to participate in its annual competition.
GLAAD and the Miss Universe Organization, which is owned by Donald Trump, announced the news this morning in a press release:
After more than two weeks of discussions, the Miss Universe Organization is close to finalizing an official policy change that will allow women who are transgender to participate in its beauty competitions.
GLAAD first contacted the Miss Universe Organization on Saturday, March 24 after news broke that Jenna Talackova was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada competition. GLAAD called on the Miss Universe Organization to review Jenna’s case, as well as open the competition to transgender women.
After unsuccessful attempts to reach Jenna Talackova personally, the Miss Universe Organization and its owner Donald J. Trump moved forward and announced last week it would allow Jenna to compete. To further demonstrate its commitment, the organization, in consultation with GLAAD, 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.
And, if you’re wondering whether Talackova’s hiring of high-profile women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred had anything to do with it, Miss Universe says this one was all GLAAD.
Adds Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization: “We want to give credit where credit is due, and the decision to include transgender women in our beauty competitions is a result of our ongoing discussions with GLAAD and not Jenna’s legal representation, which if anything delayed the process. We have a long history of supporting equality for all women, and this was something we took very seriously.”
Jenna’s behavior has been somewhat bizarre of late—it seems she is filming a documentary about the whole thing now. She also has been doing a media tour over the past few days, going on 20/20 and GMA. And it seems like she didn’t work very closely with GLAAD or Miss Universe to get this policy change instituted.
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In any case, she can compete now, as can all other trans ladies out there.
jason
GLAAD is completely misguided on this. It proves that it’s been taken over by forces that are not in keeping with the reason for its existence. It’s become a politically correct organization which no longer serves the interests of homosexual rights.
Keep in mind that transgenders do not enjoy being thought of as gay. That is why they want to change their organs and supposedly their sex. The adoption of fetishistic characteristics – such as long flowing hair – by male-to-female converts proves that they are beholden to the sexist stereotypes that characterize modern women’s appearance.
Clockwork
This story has that funny “Autogynephilia” feel to all of it…
milpert
Wasn’t GLAAD at one time a gay rights organization? I guess there aren’t any more anti-gay slurs in the media, so they have converted to strictly catering to the transexuals’ needs.
Derpa
So other commenters are implying that just because GLAAD has “gay and lesbian” in the title it shouldn’t have anything to do with other people who are part of the LGBTQ? What enormous hypocrisy from homosexuals.
Charlie in Charge
@milpert: This is a win for the GLBT community. Milpert, was there an instance of homophobia in the media you are aware of that GLAAD missed out on?
Jacob
The same people suggesting GLAAD was hijacked by trans people are the same people who complained GLAAD was too sensitive when it came to a celebrity using a gay slur. Jenna gets to compete, I say good for her!
Clockwork
@Charlie in Charge:
Here’s one where GLADD missed the boat:
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2012/04/03/Van_Jones_Even_If_Obama_Were_Gay_Hed_Still_Win_the_Black_Vote/
Van Jones said “I think if President Obama came out as gay, he wouldn’t lose the black vote,”
Thus implying that “gay” makes you less of a person (in the eyes of Blacks I suppose).
Very weird comment, not sure why he did not retract it in some way.
Jim
I agree with Jason. GLAAD doesn’t care about bisexuals, gay men, or lesbians it’s all about Trans now and taking being PC to censorship levels. It’s always been a joke of an organization anyway.
ak
@jason: You do realize that some men become women and then date other women and some women become men and then date other men. If a transperson is heterosexual then that’s what they are, if they are homosexual then that’s what they are, being trans has nothing to do with it.
azalea_k
@jason: Suuuuure, Jason. After all there are no femme dykes and all women with long hair are pandering to a male ideal, right?