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Manila ready to dazzle for historic gay beauty pageant |
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MANILA — Fifteen muscular gay men strut the stage in a whirlwind of sequins, feathers, gold and glitter while a transvestite dressed as Lady Gaga performs the American pop-star's latest hit. The scantily clad men are vying for the crown of "Mr Gay World Philippines" and Filipino-Arab fashion designer Sherwin Abuel wins the title in a crowded suburban Manila nightclub after wowing the judges on the catwalk. The contestants were required to compete in traditional pageant categories such as "Best in swimwear", "Best in formalwear" and "Mr Congeniality". But the contest was also about promoting equal rights, and Abuel started his reign as Mr Gay with an expression of pride. "Being gay is not my choice. I was born with it and I love it," said Abuel, 34, who will represent the Philippines when it becomes the first Asian country to host the annual Mr Gay World contest next year. The Philippines is a devoutly Catholic country but Abuel said he had never faced discrimination. Organisers of the Mr Gay World contest said this was one of the main reasons why the Philippines was chosen to host the global contest in March next year, after the first two events were held in Canada and Norway. |
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