Mr. Gay World is an annual international beauty pageant competition for gay men, established in 2009. On September 4, 2024, Wayne Renzo from the Philippines acquired the Mr. Gay World Organization.
Media coverage The event explicitly seeks to highlight discrimination against LGBTQ+ 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, Taurai Zhanje from Zimbabwe, Robel Hailu from Ethiopia, former Olympian Chavdar Arsov from Bulgaria, Wendelinus Hamutenya from Namibia and Xiao Dai from China. Contestants in Mr. Gay Syria were only able to compete after leaving the country and sought refugee status in Canada.
Mr Gay World seeks to establish ambassadors for LGBTQ+ and human rights, with winners of national contests competing as delegates in a variety of categories. In 2021, the pageant amended its policy to encompass the male-identifying spectrum within the LGBTQ+ community.
Controversy In 2014, Mr Gay New Zealand, Mr Gay Australia and a sponsoring skincare company all pulled out of the competition claiming 'bullying, poor living conditions, and inappropriate pressure to hook up with other contestants'. Mr Gay World replied claiming that the two contestants had been removed for alcohol abuse and rule breaking.
In 2015, the winner of the competition, Mr Gay Germany Klaus Burkart, stepped down seven months later citing “personal changes,” and was replaced by Mr Gay Hong Kong.
In 2018, Mr Gay World announced that the 2019 competition will move to South Africa from Hong Kong due to prohibition from local authorities.
In November 2021, Mr. Gay World South Africa 2021 Louw Breytenbach resigned; the title was given to South African Runner-up Bonginkosi Ndima, who then resigned in March 2022, and then Mr. Gay World Philippines 2021 Joel Rey Carcasona took over the title Mr. Gay World 2021.
Titleholders EditionYearDateMr Gay WorldRunner-upLocationEntrantsRef.FirstSecondThirdFourthFifth12009February 13, 2009Max KrzyzanowskiAlexis CespedesPico Velasco MichelBen EdwardsReece KarenaDarren BruceWhistler, Canada1922010February 13, 2010Charl van den BergSamuel AduRick Dean TwombleyXindai MuyiSergio LaraOslo, Norway2332011March 13, 2011Francois NelMichael Kevin HoltzIsrael AcevedoLeigh CharlesAaron ComisMandaluyong, Philippines2342012April 8, 2012Andreas DerlethLance WeyerRemy FrejavilleKevin Scott PowerThom GoderieJohannesburg, South Africa2252013August 5, 2013Benjie Vasquez CaraigMatthew Simmons colspan="3"Antwerp, Belgium2562014August 31, 2014Stuart Hatton JrKiriakos SpanosRobbie LawlorLuis VentoBridge HudsonRome, Italy2372015May 3, 2015Klaus Burkart(Resigned)Mass Luciano(Assumed)Tomi Lappi colspan="3"Cape Town, South Africa2182016April 23, 2016Roger GosalbezChris KrauelChristian LacsamanaKyle PatrickRafael FagundesValletta, Malta2492017May 10, 2017John RaspadoCándido ArteagaRaf Van PuymbroeckMarco TorneseAlexander SteynMaspalomas, Spain21102018May 26, 2018Jordan Paul BrunoRicky Devine-WhiteSamarpan MaitiPo-Hung ChenJoão de OliveiraKnysna, South Africa21112019May 4, 2019Janjep Carlos(Completed)Fran Alvarado(Assumed)Oliver PusztaiNick Van VoorenCape Town, South Africa22122020May 3, 2020Kodie MacayanMarek PiekarczykVicente Mironcolspan="3"Virtual contest9132021October 30, 2021Louw Breytenbach(Resigned)Joel Carcasona(Assumed)Joshuan Apontecolspan="3"10142022October 16, 2022José López DuvóntTony ArdolinoMax Appenrothcolspan="3"Cape Town, South Africa8152023October 27, 2023Troy Michael SmithDavid Allwood Dion Alexandercolspan="3"11162024August 26, 2024Paul CarruthersJohn Bench OrtizPoosit Changkaewmaneecolspan="3"Northumberland, United Kingdom11EditionYearDateMr Gay WorldMr Gay World IntercontinentalMr Gay World TourismRunner-upLocationEntrantsRef.FirstSecond172025December 1, 2025Giulio SpatolaTim KustersGert Claassen-SmitPaul DennisonDaisuke KawaradaQuezon City, Philippines12
Country/territory by number of wins The 2020 finale was held alongside the 2021 finale, creating an Epic Finale in which two winners were crowned. Country/Territory Titles Year 4 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 3 2010, 2011, 2021 2 2016, 2019 2012, 2013 120252024 2023 20222018 2015 2015 2014 2009
See also International Mr Gay Competition International Mr. Leather
References
External links Official event website