Mr Gay World

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Mr Gay World is an annual international competition for gay men. For the first time in the history of Mr. Gay World the event could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was stated by Mister Gay World Organisation that Mister Gay World 2020, and Mister Gay World 2021 will both happen simultaneously. Therefore the selected delegates are still eligible to compete for the title of Mister Gay World 2020. In the meantime, with the reign of Janjep Carlos^[1] concluded, and while the election of a new winner is not possible, Francisco José Alvarado who was First Runner Up in 2019 steps on to the title.^[2]

Coinciding with Madrid WorldPride 2017, 9th Edition of the International Mr. Gay World 2017, took place in Spain from 5 May 2017 to 10 May 2017.^[3] The cities featured were Madrid and Maspalomas (Gran Canaria Island) respectively, incorporating the variety of events. On May 5 – 7, representatives of the five continents visited Madrid and continued onward to Gran Canaria in Maspalomas from the 8 – 10 May, where the Grand Finale Gala was held. The Grand Finale Gala was part of Maspaloma’s Gay Pride, and in collaboration with Freedom, the organizer of the event, was held on the main stage of the legendary Yumbo Centrum.^[4]

Beginnings[]

Before there was Mr Gay World, there was IMG Mr Gay International. Brian Merriman (owner of Mr Gay Ireland) and Tore Aasheim (co-owner of Mr Gay Europe) attended the competition with the European delegation. Merriman and Aasheim decided to create their own international competition.^{[citation needed]}

Brian Merriman invited Tore Aasheim, Morten Ruda (owner of Mr Gay Norway and co-owner of Mr Gay Europe) and Dean Nelson (owner of Mr Gay Canada) to Dublin, Ireland to plan a brand new international competition. They invited Eric Butter (who is the current owner of Mr Gay World) and Noemi Alberto (owner of Mr Gay Philippines) to what was to become Mr Gay World.

Merriman and Ruda bowed out due to other commitments, and the ownership was divided equally between Aasheim, Nelson and Butter. Both Merriman and Ruda stayed involved in the competition as Directors responsible for finding delegates in Europe and Africa to attend the competitions.^{[citation needed]}

After a while Nelson left the competition and left his shares of Mr Gay World to Eric Butter, and later Eric Butter and Tore Aasheim exchanged their shares in Mr Gay Europe and Mr Gay World respectively, making Eric Butter the sole owner of Mr Gay World and Tore Aasheim the sole owner of Mr Gay Europe.^{[citation needed]}

Mission statement[]

Mr. Gay World is defined as an annual contest for gay men, seeking to establish ambassadors for LGBT and human rights, with winners of national contests competing as delegates in a variety of categories. It is not a beauty contest and there is no age limit. This competition is one of the most publicised gay contests in the world and unashamedly uses the attention it garners to focus attention on the plight of LGBTI people worldwide. The primary purpose of Mr. Gay World is to identify leaders who will take responsibility of being a spokesperson not only in his own community but on a global stage speaking out for equal and human rights. Mr Gay World is a role model and will work on humanizing being gay and/or LGBTI in the media both LGBTI and mainstream.^[5]

Media Coverage[]

The event explicitly seeks to highlight discrimination against LGBTI people and provide select positive role models. A number of contestants from a number of countries has faced sanctions for their selection or competition, including Nolan Lewis from India,^[6][7] Taurai Zhanje from Zimbabwe, Robel Hailu from Ethiopia, former Olympian Chavdar Arsov from Bulgaria, Wendelinus Hamutenya from Namibia and Xiao Dai from China.^[8][9]

Controversy[]

In 2018, Mr Gay World announced that the 2019 competition will move to South Africa from Hong Kong due to prohibition from local authorities.

Titleholders[]

Year	Country/Territory	Mr Gay World	Location
	Spain	Francisco José Alvarado[2]	Steps on until 2020 Mr Gay World can be crowned
	Philippines	Janjep Carlos[10]	Cape Town, South Africa
	Australia	Jordan Paul Bruno	Knysna, South Africa
2017	Philippines	John Fernandez Raspado[3][4]	Madrid & Maspalomas, Spain
	Spain	Roger Gosalbez	St. Julian's, Malta
	Hong Kong	Mass Luciano (First Runner Up)	Took over the title after Burkart's resignation[11]
	Germany	Klaus Burkart (Resigned after 7 months)[11]	Knysna, South Africa
2014	United Kingdom	Stuart Hatton	Rome, Italy
2013	New Zealand	Christopher Michael Olwage	Antwerp, Belgium
2012	New Zealand	Andreas Derleth	Johannesburg, South Africa
2011	South Africa	Francois Nel	Manila, Philippines
2010	South Africa	Charl Van Den Berg	Oslo, Norway
2009	Ireland	Max Krzyzanowski	Whistler, Canada

^[12]

See also[]

• International Mr Gay Competition

References[]

Notes[]

External links[]

• Official event website
• "Official Entry Form for Mr. Gay World 2011". Mrgayworld.org. 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
• "News". Mrgayworld.org. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
• "SOUTH AFRICA WINS BID TO HOST MR GAY WORLD 2015 - MambaOnline - Gay South Africa online". MambaOnline.com. 2014-09-01. Retrieved 2017-03-20.