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Petition Underway To Move Miss Universe Pageant From Moscow

miss universeWith everyone (rightly) demanding the International Olympic Committee address Russian's anti-gay agenda, we glossed over that it's hardly the only internationally celebrated event coming to the former Evil Empire: The 2013 Miss Universe contest is scheduled to take place November 9 in Moscow.

The fact that a pageant that probably employs hundreds of gay men is happening in the capital of gay terror doesn't sit well with Francesco Pascuzzi, who launched a petition on Change.org to get Miss Universe to move its pageant to a more hospitable environment. In an open letter to Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization, Pascuzzi writes:

As a lifelong pageant fan, I’m shocked and disappointed that the Miss Universe Organization has chosen to host its competition this year in Russia, where LGBTQ people are under attack.

... Being gay in Russia is today equal to being a criminal. Russia is no longer a safe destination and host country. When the Miss Universe Organization allowed transgender beauty Jenna Talackova to enter the Miss Universe Canada pageant in 2012, reversing its previous policies on the matter, it sent a strong and unequivocal message in favor of equality and of the LGBTQ community. Choosing Russia as a host country undermines this progress.

Many Miss Universe fans, myself included, identify as LGBTQ—and surely many employees of the organization are, as well. How are any of these people, who might want or will have to attend the event, supposed to travel to Russia under these new laws and feel safe, when they could (and likely will) be beaten, arrested and/or detained on the spot for being who they are? Clearly, there is more at stake here than the organization’s reputation.

With this petition, we are asking the Miss Universe Organization to send a strong message in favor of equality and human rights by pulling out from hosting the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow.

Though its owned by Donald Trump, no hero of ours, the Miss Universe pageant did strike a blow for equality when it ruled trans women were totally welcome to compete for the crown.

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