After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!
thescene_blogheader_large.jpg

Donald Trump's strange response to Miss Universe transgender controversy

Jenna Talackova photo from Twitpic

Transgender beauty queen Jenna Talackova's public fight against disqualification from the Miss Universe Canada pageant has led to a landmark rule change that will allow transgender women in all competitions starting in 2013, according to gay rights group Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

Talackova, a Vancouver resident, was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada pageant last month because she was not a "naturally born female." After weeks of public outcry and media attention, however, the beauty pageant -- owned by U.S. businessman Donald Trump -- has changed its rules to allow transgender contestants to compete, GLAAD said in a statement on Tuesday.

Reactions on social media were mostly positive, although a tweet reaction from what appears to be Donald Trump's official twitter account on LongTwit (allowing over 140 characters) suggested mixed feelings:
 
"Jenna changed her name from Walter to Page and then to Jenna so that now her name is Jenna Talackova. If you take the first 3 letters from Talackova and add them to Jenna, it's Jennatal (genital?). Is there something a little strange going on here? In any event, I have given the okay for her to compete in the Miss Universe Canada Pageant. It will be a wild evening with ticket sales through the roof--lots of interest!"
 
Others, however, congratulated Talackova on twitter while taking a swipe at Trump and Miss Universe:
 
"CONGRATS to Jenna Talackova," tweeted @MattRett. "Boo-hiss anyway to Donald Trump,"
 
"Yay GLAAD! The outdated sexist/racist beauty pageant isn't transphobic," tweeted @MatthewMaddox.
 

More in The Scene

Move over Van Gogh: A New York City artist has re-emerged in Vancouver

Original, illuminating, Bhaskar Krag's 6x6 foot abstract paintings will rock your world. Krag's studio, along with many others, will be open this soon, part of Eastside Culture Crawl.

A hunger for more

Emily Grainger was part of a turnaround team, and she’s not ready to stop winning.

Rachel Baitz Intracorp's River Park Place contest winner

 Rachel Baitz was the lucky winner of the 2013 Range Rover Evoque, one of the main prizes in Intracorp's recent contest promoting River Park Place, a sophisticated new condo development in...
Speak up about this article on Facebook or Twitter. Do this by liking Vancouver Observer on Facebook or following us @Vanobserver on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.