Mr Gay China pageant set for 2010

• Source: Global Times
• [01:53 December 09 2009]
• Comments

By Li Qian

The first gay candidate selected from the Chinese mainlandis set to hit the catwalk in the Gay World Ambassador pageant next year, an international"beauty pageant" for gays.The Mr Gay China pageantwill be held on January 15, andthe winner will, for the firsttime, represent the Chinesemainland in the finale of theGay World Ambassador pageant2010 in Oslo, Norway inFebruary.

The event's organizer saidthey want a handsome andsunny young man to promote a healthy image of gays."I hope the winner will stunthe country's generally conservative and biased public withhis decent taste and lifestyle,and he will also showcase hisstrong Chinese body to theWestern world," Ben Zhang,co-founder of Gayographic.Org weblog told the Global Times.The Beijing-based blog contacted Gay World Ambassador Ltd's Hong Kong branch andtook up the challenge to hostthe event in China.

Candidates that are tallerthan 170 cm and aged between21 and 40 can now register on Gayographic.org. The eight finalistswill be interviewed andtake part in a fashion show atthe event, similar to ordinarybeauty contests.

Ben said he is not expectingtoo many applicants as fairly high personal qualities are needed. The courage to attendsuch an event in Chinais important. Shanghai's gay community is working to selecta winner from the city to attendthe final competition, but,"there may be only a dozen applicantsin all," Zhang said.Judges for the contest willalso be gay or people who careabout the gay community,Zhang said.

Many in the city's gay communityincluding one surnamed Bai welcomed the event."It will help homosexuals shakeoff the negative image as freaksin society," he said, "and thewinner will represent a mainstreamchoice in the gay world."