Could the Philippines win three times in four years?
The account manager at the center of this question is 30-year-old Lenard Kodie Macayan II. Lenard Kodie Macayan II recently won Mr. Fahrenheit 2020, which has given him the right to represent the Philippines at the 12th Mr. Gay World Finals in South Africa this coming May.
For Macayan, running in this competition comes with a bit of pressure. After all, the Filipino representative, ‘Janjep’ Carlos, won the international competition last year. But, there is some reassurance in Macayan representing the country. After all, Macayan not only won the Mr. Fahrenheit title but also special awards for Best in National Attire and Best in Formal Wear during the competition held on February 9th, according to Manila Bulletin.
On top of that, Macayan seems to be a great fit for the mission of Mr. Gay World. After all, the Philippines have a history of winning the competition. Not only did Janjep Carlos win last year, but John Raspado won Mr. Gay World in 2017. Plus, Wilbert Ting Tolentino, the head of the non-profit organization that runs Mr. Gay World, was also the Philippines’ representative in 2009.
According to Tolentino, “The mission of Mr. Gay World is to ‘modernize’ the popular image of gay men and eradicate stereotypes from public perception, and to combat sexual prejudice for human equality and to continue the efforts for HIV/AIDS Early Detection Program and erase the stigma of testing and the disease.”
For Macayan, he competed this past week on a message of promoting self-love. This is especially due to the fact that he grew up with salt-and-pepper hair as a kid, which caused him to be the target of bullying.
“Stop spending too much effort to please others and seek for validation. Everyone in the world has their own concept of beauty and it’s impossible to meet everyone’s standards,” said Macayan.
He added: “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Appreciate yourself. Embrace the authentic you. You are beautiful no matter your appearance.”
We look forward to seeing how Lenard Kodie Macayan II fairs this May at the Mr. Gay World competition in South Africa.
Sources: Manila Bulletin,
