I’m sure everyone’s heard about the Miss Universe Canada controversy that has been in the news for a while, but now that all the drama is over I wanted to take a look at the outcome. The story is, transgender contestant Jenna Talackova was kicked out of the competition because of a qualifying rule that stated all contestants must be a naturally born female. She was later allowed back into the pageant, as she received overwhelming support on many social media sites and gained many fans. Of course along with fans she got a lot of negative attention as well. Beauty pageant contestants have to fit a very rare criterion of extreme beauty. They have height and weight limits and overall there’s a very small select group of women who make it to the top of this industry. York’s Gilbert said the pageant is trying to “fit everyone in a pigeon hole.” And that the world’s view of transgenders is very negative. I think that there is lots of room to open up beauty pageants to more people and different types of beauty, so why not let transgenders compete, and open up this pigeonhole. However Gilbert is correct in saying there’s a negative aura around transgenders, which may have been the real reason the pageant kicked her out in the first place. But if we don’t start treating transgenders as equals and as the specific sex they have chosen rather than some sort of weird male/female combo, people’s opinions will never change. When the competition did allow her back in, they ultimately decided to look at Jenna as a female as opposed to someone who used to be male and I think that this is the outlook the rest of the world is starting to adapt.
to a point rules are rules and to bend them for this "female" is probably very hard on the other women in this competition. I think that they should have let this years competitions finish before they bend the rules to allow transgenders from all over in on the competition.
ReplyDeleteI think you make a very good point that by not accepting this contestant, they are perpetuating intolerance. I think that an important change is very much in the process... many major magazines now have requirements for their models in that they must be over a specified weight and have a healthy appearance as to not portray unrealistic and damaging images to young and vulnerable female consumers. With such a change occurring here, one would assume a similar change SHOULD be coming in other similar organizations, namely beauty pageants. Who is to say that women only within certain height and weight ranges are considered beautiful? I think there is more awareness surrounding this notion now, and very soon we will begin to see these unhealthy requirements removed and the incorporation of a wider variety of women. On the same side of the coin, whose to say that only natural born females are "beautiful". This is a beauty contest, is it not? Transgenders aren't allowed to be beautiful? Many reconsiderations are definitely in order here, not only to make these pageants more accessible, but also to spread the right message.
ReplyDeleteGrady, not sure why you decided on the quotes around "female". What constitutes gender?
ReplyDeleteBlythe, I like your comment: On the same side of the coin, whose to say that only natural born females are "beautiful".
I know many natural born females who are not beautiful...even when they visually might be.