Fuschia Anne Ravena was crowned Miss International Queen 2022 on Saturday, June 25. Touted as the world’s largest and most popular transgender pageant, the event was held in Thailand.
27-year-old Fuschia became the third Filipino to take the title home. The event was held after two years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fuschia Anne Ravena is also a businesswoman. She overcame 22 other contestants in the competition to succeed Mexico’s Valentina Fluchaire.
How did Fuschia answer?
During the final round of questions and answers, the contestants were asked – how they will promote equality if they win the pageant? Fuschia’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 world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women was canceled for two years due to the pandemic. The contest resumed this year 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.
Colombia’s Jasmine Jimenez got placed as the first runner-up, while France’s Aëla Chanel was crowned the second runner-up.
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Message to the society
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 event 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. Fuschia has brought pride to the LGBTQ+ society.