The Miss Universe Canada organizers concede Jenna Talackova is a “real girl,” but that doesn’t mean they will let her in their beauty pageant.
Talackova, a Vancouver native, will not be competing in this year’s Miss Universe Canada pageant because she was born a male.
According to Denis Davila, national director of Miss Universe Canada, the rules set by the Miss Universe franchise state that each contestant must be a “naturally born female.”
According to Davila, Talackova claimed on her registration form she was born a male. He said he suspected otherwise and asked her about it on Mar. 13, when she admitted she was not.
She was pulled from the contest the same day.
“She feels like a real girl and she is a real girl. She didn’t expect people to question it,” Davila said.
“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.”
Talackova could not be reached for comment Friday night. In a YouTube interview posted in 2010, she says she knew she was a female at the age of 4 and began hormone therapy at 14. She surgically changed her gender a few years ago when she was 19.
“I regard myself as a woman with a history,” Talackova says in the video, winking.
Davila insisted there is no bad blood between Talackova and Miss Universe Canada, and that they wish her the best.
“She was excited about the competition. Just because she can't compete doesn't mean we stopped loving her.”
