Transgender contestant may be allowed to compete in Miss Universe Canada

Canada’s Jenna Talackova poses for pictures backstage ahead of the Miss International Queen 2010 transexual beauty pageant in southeastern Thailand’s city of Pattaya, Nov. 19, 2010. – Christophe Archambault / AFP – Getty Images

The Miss Universe Organization says it might reverse an earlier decision and allow a transgender Vancouver woman to enter the Miss Universe Canada pageant. 

Jenna Talackova, 23, was born male, leading organizers to disqualify her last month as a finalist in the 61st Miss Universe Canada pageant in May.

The rules of the contest run by Donald Trump’s New York City-based organization say entrants must be "naturally born" females. Talackova underwent a sex change four years ago.

But shortly after Talackova announced a news conference in Los Angeles with high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred for Tuesday, the New York-based Miss Universe Organization said in a statement on the Miss Universe Canada website that Talackova can compete "provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions."

The statement did not elaborate and messages seeking clarification from Miss Universe organizers were not immediately returned.