Sex change bars Canadian wannabe beauty queen

Beach shots depict her as every inch a curvaceous beauty queen. But 23-year-old Jenna Talackova was born male, and that led the Miss Universe Canada organisers to disqualify her last week as a finalist in the 61st Miss Universe Canada pageant taking place in May.

The rules of the contest run by the Donald Trump organisation say entrants must be “naturally born” females. The Vancouver woman underwent a sex change four years ago.

“She did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form,” said a statement from Miss Universe Canada. “We do, however, respect her goals, determination and wish her the best.”

The pageant’s New York-based parent backed the decision. “After review, organisers discovered that Jenna Talackova falsified her application and did not meet the necessary requirements to compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada pageant,” a statement said.

The disqualification has won Talackova sympathy and raised the question of whether the pageant has the right to decide who is female. Talackova said she had lived her life as a female since age 4, began hormone therapy at 14 and changed sex at 19. “I regard myself as a woman with a history,” she said.