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Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts

Friday, February 27, 2026

Gay Filipino in History: Fuschia Anne Ravena

Fuschia Anne Ravena (1995 - Present) 
Filipino Transgender Beauty Queen & Advocate




Birth Name: Undisclosed 
Birth Date: June 12, 1995, in Bogo, Cebu


Fuschia Anne Ravena (born June 12, 1995) is a Filipina beauty queen, entrepreneur, and prominent LGBTQIA+ advocate best known for winning the Miss International Queen 2022 title.

Growing up in the provincial city of Bogo, Cebu, Ravena was the youngest of seven siblings. Raised on a farm, she spent much of her early life surrounded by nature, an experience that deeply influenced her eventual stance as an animal rights advocate. From a young age, she knew she was different, and her transition journey was anchored by the unwavering support of her mother, Ana Dungog.

Ravena paved the way for the transgender community in Cebu and across the Philippines to be heard and seen. Her ascent in the pageant world reached a major milestone when she competed in the inaugural Miss International Queen Philippines pageant. On March 6, 2022, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the 26-year-old stood out among 25 other trans women, bringing home the first-ever national crown.

The victory was a deeply emotional one for Ravena. Her mother had passed away in 2021, just a year prior. Ravena dedicated the win to her memory, noting that her mother had been her biggest supporter in every endeavor and a guiding light throughout her transition.

On June 25, 2022, Ravena carried the Philippine flag to the resort city of Pattaya, Thailand, to compete in Miss International Queen, the world’s largest and most prestigious beauty pageant for transgender women. Radiating grace and intelligence, she bested 22 other international delegates to win the crown. She made history as the third Filipina to capture the title, following in the footsteps of Kevin Balot (2012) and Trixie Maristela (2015).

Her victory platform centered on love, peace, and unity, serving as a powerful message of inclusion. Following the grand finals in Thailand, Ravena bravely chose to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the country, a deeply personal decision that further aligned her physical reality with her true self.

Beyond the pageant stage, Ravena has proven herself as a successful beauty industry entrepreneur, owning and operating a premier aesthetic clinic. She leverages her platform as a global advocate for compassion and equality, serving as a powerful voice for LGBTQIA+ rights.

In March 2026, Ravena took on a groundbreaking leadership role when she was appointed as the National Director of the Miss International Queen Philippines organization. As the pageant's first-ever crowned queen, her transition to directorship solidified her legacy, allowing her to guide and uplift the next generation of Filipina trans beauty queens.

Further proving her enduring impact in the pageant sphere, Ravena was announced in late 2025 as one of the first official delegates for the inaugural Miss Grand International (MGI) All Stars. Competing in early 2026, the veteran-focused competition welcomed former international pageant delegates. The MGI organization formally introduced Ravena as a "proud transgender Filipina" redefining beauty through "purpose, leadership, and lasting impact."



Sources: 

Wikipedia: Fuschia Anne Ravena 

CDN Digital: FACES OF CEBU: Fuschia Anne Ravena, first Miss International Queen Philippines (2022) 

Philstar Life: Cebuana trans beauty queen Fuschia Anne Ravena is the first Miss International Queen Philippines (2022) 

Inquirer: Filipino transwoman Fuschia Anne Ravena among first to join MGI All Stars (2025) GMA Network: Fuschia Ravena named national director of Miss International Queen Philippines (2026)


Fuschia Anne Ravena MIQ 2022 Interview This interview offers an intimate look at Fuschia Anne Ravena as she discusses her journey to the Miss International Queen 2022 stage and her personal decisions regarding gender-affirming surgery.


Monday, November 24, 2025

Gay Filipino in History: Kevin Balot

 


Kevin Balot
First Filipino Transgender International Pageant Titleholder



Kevin Roxas Balot is a Filipino transgender model, actress, and beauty pageant titleholder, who was crowned Miss International Queen 2012, making her the first Filipino transgender woman to win the pageant.



Early Years and Education

Kevin Balot was born on September 25, 1991, in Tarlac to Renato Balot and Liberty Roxas.  She has two sisters namely Karen and Kimberly. Her father, Renato, encouraged her to pursue engineering as a child. Balot struggled to gain acceptance from her family because of these and other gendered standards, such as criticism for wearing makeup.

She lived alone after high school and competed in LGBTQIA++ beauty pageants to pay for her nursing education. She was a volunteer nurse in 2012 and holds a bachelor's degree in nursing. She also agreed to work as an English teacher in Thailand that year.


Life as a Beauty Queen

Balot was crowned Miss International Queen in Pattaya, Thailand, in 2012. She won US$13,000 and a free gender-affirming surgery if she so desired. This offer was later accepted by Balot.

Balot joined Pantene as an ambassador for their #StrongerNow campaign in 2018.


Filmography 

In the 2016 movie Die Beautiful, she portrayed Tonet. She also appeared in the 2019 music video for Donnalyn Bartolome's song "Di Lahat" and in the 2015 television series "Luv U".






Saturday, September 27, 2025

Dinagyang History: Champion Tribes Street Dance and Introduction Movements Through The Years

 



These are the different street and introduction movements of Dinagyang champion tribes through the years.



Video courtesy of: FESTIVALicious Facebook Page

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Gay Filipino in History - Biniboys

 Biniboys

First Filipino Group of Transvestites



Most likely, "Biniboys" alludes to the Biniboys Ball, a 1957 social event for transsexual people in the Philippines, specifically in Pasay, Manila.  A Facebook post referred to it as the first-ever exclusive party for transvestites.

In the middle of the 1950s, transvestites and crossdressers frequently frequented Dewey Boulevard in search of fun and easy cash at the cost of gullible travelers.  Mayor Arsenio Lacson had to order the police to step up their campaign against these "biniboys" since they became so out of hand.

In February 1957, a group of transvestites organized the first-ever Biniboys Ball, an elite celebration in Pasay, to better their reputation in the community.  The dance celebration invited transvestites from all across Manila, and many of them showed up in their finest attire, accompanied by their male companions.

Thanks to the Biniboys of Pasay, the Biniboys Ball made for good public relations news and momentarily gave the general public peace of mind that not all of their type engaged in dubious activities.



Sunday, July 13, 2025

Inside the NHCP Museum of Philippine Maritime History

These are the pictures and videos taken inside the NHCP Museum of Philippine Maritime History last June 15, 2025 at around 11:00 am.