Miss Asia Pacific International Chaiyenne Huisman/ARMIN P. ADINA
Isinusulong ng Miss Asia Pacific International pageant ang “beauty in diversity,” kaya naman nakikiisa ang reigning queen na si Chaiyenne Huisman sa LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, etc.) community sa pagdiriwang ng “Pride Month” ngayong Hunyo.
“I think Pride Month is aptly named. For people who have been forced to hide their identities, they should take pride in embracing their freedom of expressing their true selves,” sinabi ni Huisman sa Inquirer sa isang online interview.
Para sa Dutch-Spanish polyglot, malayo ang mararating ng pakikiisa sa pandaigdigang pagdiriwang “in showing the LGBTQIA+ community that we welcome them to the society equally, we respect their rights, and we champion their welfare as if it’s our own.”
Sinabi ni Huisman na hindi na dapat itinuturing na “issue” sa panahon ngayon ang paghahangad ng pagkakapantay-pantay ng pamayanang LGBTQIA+.
Para sa kanya, magiging mas maganda ang mundo “once we see diversity as our strength, not our weakness.”
Pagpapatuloy pa ng beauty queen: “Never in history did hate bring good for the world. So let’s leave discrimination in the past and use our differences to build a better society.”
Nais niyang iparating sa LGBTQIA+ community na ikinararangal niyang maging “ally of your community, and I hope and pray for the day that we no longer have to fight so hard for respect and equal rights.”
Hinikayat pa niya ang pamayanan na “keep being you, keep inspiring, and let’s all rise above the hate!”
Para naman sa hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin tinatanggap ang mga kabilang sa LGBTQIA+ community, ito ang masasabi ni Huisman: “If you start seeing them as human beings who have intrinsic value and a rightful place in this world, regardless of their gender, you’d realize we have a lot more in common to celebrate than differences to hate.”
Nagwagi si Huisman sa pagdaraos ng ika-51 anibersaryo ng patimpalak na isinagawa sa Pilipinas noong 2019. Dalawang ulit nang pinalawig ang pagrereyna niya makaraang magpasya ang mga organayser sa Maynila na isantabi ang mga edisyon para sa 2020 at 2021 dahil sa pandemyang bunga ng COVID-19.