Miss Universe against law

[Ebusitanus]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15990178-13762,00.html

CANADIAN Miss Universe Natalie Glebova was forced to take off her official sash at a local festival celebrating Thailand when Toronto authorities invoked a law against sexual stereotyping.

The winner of the international beauty competition held in Bangkok in May, Glebova was to open the festival last weekend sporting her official beauty queen's regalia.
However, city employees invoked a regulation against activities which degrade men and women through sexual stereotypes or exploit their bodies to attract attention.

Bowing to the local law, the 23 year old blue-eyed brunette was made to remove her Miss Universe sash, though not without complaint.

"I definitely don't think that the Miss Universe title is any kind of stereotype or sexual stereotype," said Russian-born Glebova, a graduate of the University of Toronto.

Officials of the Miss Universe organisation were also unhappy.

"It's a strict reading of the by-laws," Paula Shugart, president of the organisation, said.

"According to those conditions, a beauty contest cannot even be held in Toronto", Shugart said