23-year-old Jenna Talackova, a transgender beauty contestant who was disqualified by the Miss Universe Canada organizers, has won widespread sympathy and raised the question of whether or not the pageant has the right to decide who is female, AP reported.

Talackova is obtaining legal counsel and is expected to make a public statement next week.

Connie McNaughton, Miss World Canada 1984, called the decision outdated and discriminatory.

A Vancouver transgender activist, Jamie Lee Hamilton, said Talackova could sue for violation of her human rights because she "is being treated as a second-class citizen".

Prof. Patrizia Gentile of Carleton University said: "We're seeing more and more transgendered women wanting to be beauty contestants. The rule is incongruent with the culture."

(China.org.cn April 1, 2012)

据美联社报道，23岁的詹娜·塔拉科娃是一名变性选美选手，被世界小姐加拿大组织方取消了参赛资格，她得到广泛的同情，并使人们质疑，选美比赛是否有权利决定谁是女性。

塔拉科娃计划咨询法律人士，有望在下周发表公开声明。

1984年世界小姐加拿大赛区的冠军康妮·麦克诺登称该决定过时并且有歧视。

温哥华的一名变性活动倡导者杰米·李·汉密尔顿表示，塔拉科娃可以侵犯人权为由起诉，因为她“被当作二等公民对待”。

卡尔顿大学的帕翠莎·金太尔教授说：“我们看到越来越多的变性女子想参加选美。这个规定和当前的文化是不相符的。”