Gloria Allred on Jenna Talackova, John Travolta and Barack Obama

US civil rights lawyer in Toronto for Miss Universe Canada pageant

US women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred was in Toronto on May 19 for the Miss Universe Canada competition. She was here to support her client Jenna Talackova, the first openly transgender contestant in the pageant.

“These cases have come to me, and I have felt from the beginning that this was a minority who was stigmatized, who was stereotyped, who was being excluded,” Allred says.

Xtra asked Allred about the John Travolta cases and US President Barack Obama’s recent support of the US gay-marriage movement.

For more on Talackova, watch Xtra‘s video interview here.


On occasion, the number of editors and other staff who contribute to a story gets a little unwieldy to give a byline to everyone. That’s when we use “Xtra Staff” in place of the usual contributor info. If you would like more information on who contributed to a particular story, please contact us here.

Read More About:
Video, Culture, News, Canada, Coming Out

Keep Reading

A photo composite of Chappell Roan on a farm in Saskatchewan

What the heck is Saskatchewan? A guide for Chappell Roan fans

Chappell Roan’s teaser for “The Subway” has made Saskatchewan the belle of the ball. But what’s the deal with Canada’s most rectangular province?
Drag queens on RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars compete in a roast challenge.

How the ‘All Stars 10’ bracket format could save ‘Global All Stars’

The global season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” largely missed the mark. Could the tournament-style bracket format of “All Stars 10” be the way to get it right?
Dodgers players Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker perform what is considered to be the very first high-five in 1977.

The lesser-known gay history of high-fives

Glenn Burke made history as the first Major League Baseball player to publicly come out as gay. He’s also credited with inventing the high-five

Canadian judge halts deportation of non-binary American

The ruling could set a massive precedent for trans and non-binary Americans seeking refuge in Canada amidst Trump’s wave of anti-trans attacks