Transgender Miss Universe Canada Contestant Jenna Talackova Disqualified From Competition

Donalt Trump owned organization disallows 23-year-old to compete because she was not "naturally born" female.

By Rebecca Macatee Mar 26, 2012 8:05 PMTags
Jenna TalackovaCHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/Getty Images

Jenna Talackova was disqualified from competing in Miss Universe Canada because she is a transgender woman.

A rep for the Miss Universe Organization (which is owned by Donald Trump) tells E! News that the "rules currently state that all contestants must be naturally born females." (Talackova, 23, was born a male, but underwent hormone therapy at 14 and gender reassignment surgery at 19.)

"Organizers discovered that Jenna Talackova falsified her application and did not meet the necessary requirements to compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada pageant," the statement continues.

According to The Province newspaper, Talackova was selected among the 65 finalists for the 2012 competition but was removed when the pageant organizers discovered she was transgender.

A change.org petition calling for Talackova to be allowed to compete has gotten over 20,000 signatures so far.

—Reporting by Michelle Falls