A gay youngster who was once scared of coming out received a beautiful reaction from his supportive father - who now attends all of his cross-dressing beauty pageants

Mark Christian Ramos, 22, who uses the beauty queen name Violet when he dresses as a statuesque catwalk queen, said she used to be afraid of expressing herself in pageant shows.

However, his proud father Joselito Ramos, 49, declared his love for his son - whatever gender he likes to be - and now attends all his contests in Laguna, the Philippines.

Compilation footage shows Mark, or Violet as he is known in drag, with his dad Joselito while he prepares for beauty contests over the last couple of years.

After his transformation in Violet, they will either get a hug from the proud parent to boost her confidence before her turn to walk the stage or a congratulatory embrace afterwards, win or lose.

In one video, Violet took pictures with his father and put the crown on Joselito's head. At a swimsuit competition, Violet ramped in a green bikini with Joselito cheering from the side.

Mark said: 'It was very touching for me as well as for other people. We are not just joining pageants for money or fame.

'We are joining pageants because we want to change the lives of many people, especially those like me. I did not expect that that my father would be so supportive, not all fathers of trans people are like him.'

Mark added that his father's support was one of the reasons he has kept joining pageants, even when times were difficult.

He said: 'I have been doing this for three years, and he is always present. There's no missing the action for him. That's why I also persevered and never lost heart, because my father is always there supporting me and he enjoys it, too.'

The Philippines, a largely Roman Catholic nation, has generally taken a conservative stance and is unsupportive of transgender identities and rights.

Catholic bishops and leaders in the Philippines have spoken out against efforts to pass laws recognizing and protecting LGBTQ rights, including rights for transgender people.

Access to gender affirmation procedures like hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery is also extremely limited in the Philippines for both religious and legal reasons.