Mr Gay World 2012
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MR GAY WORLD 2012 out in 70A DNA frica Not so much tears and tiaras as pecs and death threats, the Mr Gay World fi nals in Johannesburg this year attracted delegates from around the world and some very African drama. DNA Editor, Andrew Creagh, was one of the judges. He fi les this insider’s view of the event and considers the consequences of staging a pro-gay event on a hostile continent. Photography by Noel Posus. frica DNA 71 FEATURE Top row, left to right: Misters France, Brazil, USA, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Spain and Hong Kong. Middle row: Switzerland, South Africa, Namibia, Canada, Bulgaria, Ireland. Bottom: Mexico, Netherlands, Ethiopia, Argentina, Finland, Czech Republic, Philippines and Chile. hen we think about the on-going entering. This apparent victory, however, was historic speech to the United Nations Human struggle for gay rights around the overshadowed. Rights Council in Geneva, in which he called world, many of us go straight to the A Zimbabwean delegate, Taurai Zhanje, was on all countries to protect the rights of LGBT Wmarriage equality campaigns that dominate announced but withdrew shortly after, citing citizens – a speech boycotted by African and the debate in Western democracies. But in “personal reasons”. Islamic nations who wanted to maintain the other parts of the world, gay rights is literally “We are sad to lose Taurai,” said the right to persecute gays and lesbians. a struggle for life. Many nations in Africa, event’s Director For Africa, Coenie Kukkuk Even before the first delegate had landed the Middle East and Eastern Europe actively in a press statement, “but in Africa, the at O.R. Tambo International Airport in oppress and persecute their gay, lesbian and personal sacrifice for gay and human rights is Johannesburg, South Africa, there was trans citizens. So I was excited by the prospect sometimes too much to expect from people. controversy. After being named as Namibia’s of the 2012 Mr Gay World finals being held in Taurai already made a very brave stand against delegate to Mr Gay World, Wendelinus Johannesburg, South Africa. the oppression of the rights of gay, lesbian, Hamutenya, was beaten up. He says he’s not Previously the event has been hosted by bisexual, transsexual and intersex persons and sure if the attack was a hate crime; he suspects Los Angeles, Whistler in Canada and Oslo we have to respect his decision. We wish him his assailants may simply have wanted to in Norway - all cities that could easily be and his family only the best for the future.” steal his prize money. More seriously, since described as gay friendly. Even Manilla in The subtext here is that threats were made announcing his involvement in the event, 2011, despite the overbearing presence of the against Taurai, his family, their jobs and their Ethiopia’s candidate, Robel Hailu, has received Catholic Church, welcomed the Mr Gay World physical safety if he competed. Why? Because anonymous death threats and threats have finals with open arms and accorded it a great in many parts of Africa, the prevailing opinion been made against his family. Not that his deal of respect. To stage the event in South is that gay people don’t really exist, or that family are particularly supportive. His father’s Africa, I felt, brought the issue of gay civil rights if they do it’s because some sort of immoral advice was that Robel commit suicide to to the frontline. This is where the fight is. Western disease has corrupted them. Or redeem himself, he has forbidden any member It’s no coincidence that the 2010 and 2011 worse, they are possessed by a demon. For of the family from making further contact with Mr Gay World titles were won by South a man to voluntarily and proudly identify him and has cut him off financially. Africans (Charl Van Den Berg and Francios as homosexual is very confronting to this And so the Mr Gay World roadshow rolled Nel respectively). Both demonstrated a depth African way of thinking. There are those in into Johannesburg against this backdrop of of knowledge of gay civil rights issues and a South Africa who believe in the “corrective both grassroots and institutional homophobia determination to make a positive difference rape” of lesbians in which women suspected on the African continent. that impressed the judges, of which I was one. of being homosexual are raped in order to While he was Mr Gay World, one of turn them heterosexual. It’s a barbaric concept Disembarking from the 15 hour flight from Charl’s goals was to encourage delegates that fundamentally misunderstands the nature Sydney and collecting my luggage, I spot from other African nations to compete – of human sexuality, and an appalling crime Namibia’s Wendelinus Hamutenya. Despite and with considerable success. 2012’s event against women. being the victim of the recent attack, he seems saw delegates from Namibia and Ethiopia In March this year came Ban Ki-Moon’s irrepressibly confident and flamboyant, with 72 DNA a rock-star presence. Also disembarking is New Zealand’s German-born delegate Andreas Derleth. He’s enormous and friendly with a beautiful smile – a gentle giant. We’re staying at The Fairway Hotel And Golf Resort about an hour from the airport, so the drive through Johannesburg gives me my first taste of the country. Initially, Johannesburg looks like any other big, smoggy, city serviced by massive freeway arteries – except for the constant stream of people walking alongside the highways. Some sell fruit, sunglasses, novelties – anything to the passing traffic; others hold signs that advertise their skills for hire – plumber, carpenter, mechanic, etc. One of the Mr Gay World South Africa team, John O’Neil, tells us that Johannesburg is growing so fast that no one is exactly sure what the population From top: is. Unemployment, however, is very high and Mr Hong Kong, Jimmy it’s clear that people will do whatever they can Wong addresses the press to get by. conference at TheKevin Fairway Power Hotel; Mr USA, Johannesburg is commonly referred to as answers questions from the “Joburg”, and sometimes as “Egoli”, meaning South African media; Mr Gay World delegates “place of gold”, and occasionally as “Jozi”, prepare to meet which seems altogether too breezy and carefree the media. considering the amount of poverty visible along just this stretch of highway. The Fairway is a luxurious, five-star hotel on a beautiful, well-watered golf course protected by fences, gates and 24-hour security personnel. With the nation’s father, Nelson Mandela, gravely ill and the economy struggling, it’s faintly reassuring to read the headline on the day’s tabloid: “Lost Snake Found”. At an orientation briefing at the hotel, delegates, producers, event coordinators and judges are all introduced and the day-to- day ground rules of the week-long event are explained in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Then the delegates swap gifts and slip into their official MGW 2012 T-shirts and head to a press conference for South Africa’s waiting media. About 20 media organisations are present. Coenie Kukkuk talks about the significance of staging an event like Mr Gay World in South Africa. The media are most interested in speaking to Mr USA Kevin Power, Mr Hong Kong Jimmy Wong and, of course, Mr South Africa himself Lance Weyner. How can the event lead to positive change, they want to know? Lance points out that there are two delegates from African nations other than South Africa and that their presence here has created greater awareness and discussion of homosexuality in their home countries. Mr Gay World brings visibility and education to every city it visits. Press conference done it’s time to go bush and, with all the excitement of a school excursion, the MGW delegates pile into three buses and head off to the Askari Game Lodge And Spa. Although there are only 22 competing delegates, the Mr Gay World entourage is massive, consisting of event producers, >> DNA 73 MR GAY WORLD 2012 >> regional producers, freelance media, “returning to the place of origin” in Setswana, His English, which is usually very good, has two video crews, judges, Grand Final night the main indigenous language in this area of become difficult to understand under the stress. entertainers, sponsors and suppliers and a South Africa. There’s a poignant moment when The threats seem to indicate that they know buzz of associated assistants and helpers. the delegates, representing 22 countries from which hotel he’s at and say that he’ll be killed Coordinating accommodation and meals is a all around the world, stop to read a message here during the event. Robel believes that in full-time project similar, I imagine, to running a on the wall of the centre that reminds us that South Africa you can pay to have someone US presidential tour. even though we may look different, our DNA killed for as little at 20 Rand (about $2.40 in Arriving at the Askari Game Lodge in the is virtually identical – that there is only one Australian dollars). The hotel and the Mr Gay afternoon we’re in time to see hippopotami human race. The Maropeng visit showed us not World producers discretely bump up security. bathing in the lake outside the main house. only how we came to be human, but what it The South Africans treat it as just another Once checked into our cabins it’s straight into means to be human. administrative challenge. This situation isn’t the safari trucks to go in search of lions.