PRESENTATION is important when it comes to representing a community, but when vying to be Mr Gay World (MGW) 2015, having substance is what really counts.
The search to find the next global ambassador of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is taking place in Cape Town for the second time in seven years.
This year, 21 finalists from five continents descended on the Mother City to compete to represent LGBT people through public solidarity.
But the grand finale will take place at the Knysna Mall Exhibition Centre at 8pm on Saturday.
Coenie Kukkuk, managing director of MGW in the Africa and Middle East region, said in Cape Town contestants would be evaluated on their appearance, grooming, intellect and social skills, and would also have to write a test on LGBT history and recent news.
In 2006, South Africa became the first country in Africa to legalise marriages between same-sex couples, but nearly 10 years later it remains the only country in Africa which allows gay marriages.
Craig Maggs, 25, from Johannesburg, is representing South Africa.
Siyathokoza Khumalo, 28, was born in South Africa but has relatives living in Zambia. He has chosen to represent Zambia because homosexuality is still largely considered taboo in the country.
“There are parallels in issues that you would find in Zambia, South Africa and the rest of Africa. What connects all of them is tribalism,” Khumalo said.
“When I think Mr (Gay) World, Africa is the first sore spot my brain goes to because we need to talk about what is happening in Africa.”
Maggs said although he was representing South Africa, a team of 12 men were working to draw attention to issues of “corrective rape” and increasing the sentencing for the crime, and improving support for victims.
They have already met legal representatives.
Six days before the arrival of the contestants in South Africa on Saturday, Mr Gay India was forced to withdraw from the competition because of threats to him and his family. India banned gay sex in December 2013.
Under the banning, gay sex is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
In 2012, Zimbabwe’s representative was forced to withdraw after his family received death threats.
Klaus Burkart, 21, from Germany, said although Europe was not where it could be with gay rights, the continent was far more liberal and accepting of the gay community.
Reigning Mr Gay World Stuart Hatton, from the UK, used his platform as an ambassador to make his mission statement “So What” go global.
“So What”, targeted at school pupils, encourages conversations about sexuality.
Hatton said if children had a platform where they could feel free to talk about homosexuality, fewer people would grow up feeling like they did not belong in the world.
Mr Gay World is the brainchild of Eric Butter and Dean Nelson.
In June 2008 they embarked on a global mission to create a competition that would inspire and empower gay men through public solidarity, Kukkuk
said.
The first MGW competition took place in 2009 during the annual WinterPRIDE celebrations in Canada.
Ireland’s Max Krzyanowski won the inaugural title.