With blonde locks, long legs and delicate features, Jenna Talackova
would have been a strong competitor in Canada's Miss Universe pageant
but was disqualified, she says, because she used to be male.
South Korea's Mini (left) and Canada's Jenna Talackova (centre) pose for pictures backstage ahead of the Miss International Queen 2010 beauty pageant in south-eastern Thailand's city of Pattaya, late on Nov 19, 2010. Jenna Talackova was disqualified from the 2012 Canada Miss Universe pageant, she says, because she used to be male
The 23-year-old transgender model from the western Canadian city of Vancouver has accused the pageant of discrimination, and more than 28,000 supporters have signed an online petition demanding her reinstatement.
The organizers of the Canada Miss Universe pageant said on their website on Friday that Ms Talackova was disqualified because 'she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form,' without providing further details.
The Beauties of Canada Organization, which organizes the pageant, says it has the exclusive right to send a contestant to the Miss Universe Pageant, a joint production of US real-estate magnate Donald Trump and NBC Universal.
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