In a policy-changing move, Donald Trump’s Miss Universe Organization has agreed that transgender women can participate in the pageants. This decision comes on the heels of a dispute that they are currently facing in Canada.
A transgender woman, Jenna Talackova, was disqualified from the pageant last month and sued the organization over it. Soon, gay rights activists jumped on the bandwagon and the rules are about to be changed thanks to the unprecedented backlash. It has been confirmed that transgender women can now participate in the Miss Universe pageants.
A statement from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation revealed that their talks with Donald Trump and his organization were encouraging and it was agreed early on that they were open to changing their policies to include transgender women. GLAAD went on to convey their appreciation for the quick action that had been taken on the issue, calling it a stand against the discrimination of transgender women.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, said that their decision was based on their long-standing ethics of supporting equality, which is something they take very seriously.
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