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Transgendered beauty pageant contestant to lead Vancouver pride parade

VANCOUVER – The transgendered woman who successfully fought the Miss Universe pageant after she was kicked out of the contest will lead this year’s Vancouver gay pride parade.

Jenna Talackova has been handed grand marshal duties for the annual event, which will wind its way through the city’s downtown on Aug. 5.

Talackova made international headlines when was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada Pageant because she wasn’t born a woman.

The decision to exclude her was overturned by pageant owner Donald Trump.

She didn’t advance to the worldwide competition, but she finished in the Top 12 of the Canadian pageant and was one of four contestants crowned Miss Congeniality.

Talackova has said she always felt like a woman and began taking hormone therapy at 14 years old, eventually having sexual reassignment surgery at age 19.

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