Gay controversy struck when it was announced that the Mr Gay World competition was to be held this year (2012) in Johannesburg in South Africa.
Though South Africa is one of the few places on the continent that homosexuality is accepted, 38 out of the 54 countries regard it as a crime, particularly Sudan, Mauritania and Northern Nigeria where it carries the death penalty. Despotic President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has been quoted as saying “gays are worse than dogs and pigs”. I’m not sure in what ways he is referring to. Pigs probably taste better than gays, but I think gays have the edge on cleanliness.
In a place where lesbians are subject to ‘corrective rape’ it’s hardly surprising that Mr Gay Ethiopia was disowned by his father and Mr Gay Zimbabwe withdrew for fear of publicity affecting his mother.
On the flip side, Mr Gay Namibia Wendelinus Hamutenya said his mother told him to ‘bring the trophy home’. He expressed how he felt that this showed that Africans could change and hoped that his country would be the second African country to accept homosexuals. He said he would return to Namibia and fight for “for gay rights and human rights”. Possibly a part of him doesn’t believe that gays and humans are the same thing.
Hamutenya was one of three African contestants to participate, the third being Lance Weyer or Mr Gay South Africa – a white guy – who came in as first runner up to Mr Gay New Zealand Andreas Derleth.
Organiser Coenie Kukkuk insisted that Mr. Gay World is not a beauty pageant. It includes an essay test on the history of the gay rights movement. Admittedly the swim suit competition counts for more.
Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the New York-based International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, worries such glitzy contests feed stereotypes that could cement the view that homosexuality is un-African.
“Most of us are of colour, poor, don’t look like we go to the gym regularly,” Johnson said in an interview. “Class does matter. It is poor men who experience the most oppression.”
He gave Mr. Gay World credit for drawing attention to discrimination against gays, particularly in Africa but said that during his visit to Johannesburg, he was dismayed to find the advertising featured two white men – the South Africans who won Mr. Gay World in 2011 and 2010. He said:
“The one thing they ought to do is change that poster, have one black guy up there with no shirt on. Cater to a diverse audience.”
Is that a diverse audience Mr Johnson or your own personal taste for hot chocolate?
By Lewis Roe
@CrackingAce
More Gay News?
Catholic Priest Shows Gay Porn to Kids HERE
Ricky Martin says that sleeping with women doesn’t make him not gay HERE
