Mr Gay World is going to its 11th edition this year, and this time the chosen city is the sunny and warm Cape Town in South Africa.
Eric Butter and Dean Nelson began on a mission to create a global competition that would inspire and empower gay men to come together in a public performance that would show the world that being gay encompasses a broad spectrum.
The mission to show that both inward beauty and physical appearance are equally important as is leadership and confidence.
The organisers hope that by bringing these men together they would share their experiences to open both each others’ as well as the public’s eyes that in many regions on our planet being gay is a challenge and a fight for basic human rights.
A total of 24 finalists will be taking part in the contest which kicks off on April 28, with the Grand Finale taking place on May 4 at the Cape Town City Hall.
Mr Gay World 2019 was initially set to be held in Hong Kong, but it was moved to Cape Town due to a clampdown by the Chinese authorities on LGBT+ affirming events and campaigns.
The 24 delegates come from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Central America and Oceania.
“We are so excited to be the host city for this year’s Mr Gay World 2019,” said Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism. “Our reputation as being an LGBT+ friendly destination makes us the ideal host for this year’s event.”
Meet The Contestants
Each of the 24 contestants for this year’s Mr Gay World competition has created an introductory video, including our very own Guilherme Souza, who is representing Ireland in this year’s competition.
Speaking to GCN about the weeks to come, he said “I am delighted to be representing Ireland in Mr Gay World.
“Since I got the title of Mr Gay Ireland, so many things have changed in my life. I’ve felt ready to open up about my issues and realised that I am not alone. It’s okay to look for support and it’s important to help each other.
“Mr Gay World will be a great opportunity to bring my message to a global audience, meet the other delegates and hear their stories. I’m really going to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity and making some new friends along the way.”
Watch all of the contestant’s videos below:
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