Transsexuals May Participate in Miss Universe Starting Next Year

Jenna Talackova

Organizers of the Miss Universe beauty pageant announced on Tuesday that transgender women may participate next year.

Contest managers said they are adjusting the language of one of its rules and that they expect to issue the last decision soon. Trials for the next year’s Miss Universe Competition will begin this summer.

The decision comes five days after the organization said that Jenna Talackova was able to compete in the contest this year. Talackova, a resident of  Vancouver was born a man, but changed her sex four years ago.

This initially led the organizers to disqualify her from Miss Canada in May, using a rule that pointed out that candidates must be women “born by nature.”

Talackova begged that the rule be changed. (ARL)