Women's group backs Miss U decision

MANILA, Philippines - Women’s group EnGenderRights backed yesterday the decision of the Miss Universe organization to include transgender women in the annual beauty pageant beginning next year.

“The organizers are recognizing the rights of transgender women in their right to gender identity and this is a positive step towards upholding transgender rights,” EnGenderRights executive director Clara Rita Padilla said.

Founded in December 2003, EnGenderRights advocates for women’s free exercise of their sexuality and their right to reproductive self-determination free of discrimination, coercion and violence including women’s access to the full range of contraceptives, emergency contraceptives, and to safe and legal abortion.

It also promotes equality of lesbians and women bisexuals and transgenders and their freedom from discrimination.

“The Miss Universe pageant is changing its rules and will allow transgender women to take part in all of its competitions starting 2013,” the group Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced on Wednesday.

The decision to include transgender women in the pageant follows a media outcry over the disqualification of Canadian contestant Jenna Talackova from the upcoming Miss Universe Canada contest because she was not a “naturally born female.”

Talackova, 23, who underwent gender reassignment surgery when she was 19, was reinstated to the Canadian competition last week by businessman Donald Trump, who owns the Miss Universe organization.

Talackova has a Canadian passport, driver’s license and other documents that identify her as a woman.