The 27-year-old entrepreneur, who hails from Cebu province in the Philippines, won the crown during a televised finale in the Thai city of Pattaya on Saturday. Filipina beauty queen Fuschia Anne Ravena has been named winner of Miss International Queen 2022, a contest described by organizers as the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women.
The event was held in Thailand. Fuschia became the third Filipino to take the title home. The contest, touted as the world’s largest and most popular transgender pageant, was held after two years of suspension due to the COVID pandemic. Fuschia Anne Ravena, who is also a businesswoman, won against 22 other contestants in the competition to succeed Mexico’s Valentina Fluchaire. Colombia’s Jasmine Jimenez got placed as the first runner-up, while France’s Aëla Chanel was placed in the second position.
After Trixia Maristela in 2015 and Kevin Balot in 2012, Fuschia Anne Ravena is the third Filipino to win the Miss International Queen title. The contestants were questioned on how they will promote equality during the final round of questions and answers if they win the pageant. Revena’s winning answer was: “My first message to everyone is to spread love peace, and unity because that is the most important thing that we do as of the moment and what’s happening in the world right now.” “We live under one sky. And we breathe the same air. And we all live from differences where love is universal,” she added.
The pageant that is dubbed as the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women was cancelled for two years due to the pandemic. The contest resumed this year the during Pride Month in the Thai seaside town of Pattaya. According to Alisa Phanthusak, the CEO of Miss Tiffany Show and the organizer of the beauty pageant, the competition celebrates gender equality.
Saturday’s finale, which was broadcast live on Thai television, saw contestants take the stage in evening gowns and national costumes from their respective countries. In a question-and-answer segment, Ravena said that the goal of being a transgender beauty queen was “to inspire other people.”
“The acceptance in my own home is the best gift I’ve received throughout my trans journey,” said Ravena, who later dedicated the win to her mother.”The trans community still has so (far) to go in the fight for equality” Ravena added in the video. “And to be given this moment to speak up, I really want to maximize this opportunity and make a difference as much as I can.”Ravena was awarded 450,000 Thai baht ($12,700) in prize money, alongside gifts from various sponsors.
Miss International Queen title brings together transgender people from around the world. It was launched over a decade ago to help transgender women feel more accepted by society. The contest held in Thailand has a different significance, as the country has one of Asia’s most open and visible lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities, adding to its image of tolerance and attraction as a liberal holiday destination for foreign tourists. However, activists say Thai laws and institutions have yet to reflect changing social attitudes. LGBT+ people and same-sex couples are still discriminated against in the country.
