VANCOUVER — The Pride Parade has a groundbreaking new grand marshal.

Jenna Talackova, a Vancouver beauty queen and the first transgendered person to compete in a Miss Universe pageant, will be blazing a colourful new trail in the parade’s leading role as the annual Pride celebrations wind their way through the West End on Aug. 5.

“Jenna, a local Vancouverite, refused to be discriminated against and fought alongside top feminist lawyer, Gloria Allred, to be treated fairly and equally,” organizers say on the parade’s website.

Initially disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada pageant for not being a naturally born woman, Talackova made international headlines and rode a wave of public support toward readmission, forcing Miss Universe and its owner, Donald Trump, to rewrite the rules and allow transgendered competitors.

Earlier this year Talackova reached the Top 12 in the Miss Universe Canada pageant and won the Miss Congeniality award.

Joining Talackova as grand marshal is female impersonator Bill Monroe, a longtime advocate and fundraiser for queer sport and co-founder of the Starry Night fundraiser for People with AIDS.

David Holtzman, the former director of A Loving Spoonful and the Vancouver Queer Film festival, has also be given the honour posthumously.

The activist and community leader died earlier this year from a heart attack while vacationing in California.

creynolds@vancouversun.com

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