Toronto snubs Miss Universe
Canadian Press
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
TORONTO -- Miss Universe has been deemed too tasteless to open a culinary festival celebrating the Tastes of Thailand.
Officials with the City of Toronto banned the hometown beauty from opening a Thai festival on the weekend, citing a city bylaw that bans activities deemed degrading to men or women through sexual stereotyping.
"It was like a knife in the heart," 23-year-old Natalie Glebova said of the ban that kept her from appearing at the food fair.
"It seemed so silly. Everywhere else, I get great reaction from political leaders. But my hometown?"
A city spokesman said bureaucrats were only enforcing the rules. Organizers of the Tastes of Thailand festival decided there was little point in having Glebova open their festival without her sash and tiara - or even a reference to Miss Universe.
Nor did they relish having to call her - as the bylaw dictates - "an individual of note contributing to our community."
Canadian Press
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
TORONTO -- Miss Universe has been deemed too tasteless to open a culinary festival celebrating the Tastes of Thailand.
Officials with the City of Toronto banned the hometown beauty from opening a Thai festival on the weekend, citing a city bylaw that bans activities deemed degrading to men or women through sexual stereotyping.
"It was like a knife in the heart," 23-year-old Natalie Glebova said of the ban that kept her from appearing at the food fair.
"It seemed so silly. Everywhere else, I get great reaction from political leaders. But my hometown?"
A city spokesman said bureaucrats were only enforcing the rules. Organizers of the Tastes of Thailand festival decided there was little point in having Glebova open their festival without her sash and tiara - or even a reference to Miss Universe.
Nor did they relish having to call her - as the bylaw dictates - "an individual of note contributing to our community."
