MAGANDANG HAPON PO! -PART TWO!

I woke up on Tuesday morning feeling like a freight train had hit me. Yep, that crazy feeling of Jet-lag where it feels like people talk in slow-mo and you’re walking on a moving platform, yet, it was time to get down to business and do what I came to the Philippines to do. First stop was a radio program called Tambalan at one of the Philippines biggest Media Groups where we did promotion for the 2011 Mr Gay World Competition to be held in Manila in March, as well as promote the launch of our new campaign for the education of HIV/Aids-The Red Ribbon Campain!

(Now, for those of you who are interested, The Red Ribbon Campagin is an initiative by Mr Gay World and Gay World Philippines to create awareness and education within the Philipino community. This was done in honour of one of this year’s contestant from the Philippines who lost his battle with Aids. AS said previously, statistics had show a dramatic increase in the infection rates in the country and so there was only one thing left to do, GET THE WORD OUT THERE and educate the community so as to mobilize them to action, after all, this is their future at stake here.)

This was only the start of my day and by the end of it, I had visited no less that six Radio stations allover the city with my final interview being at 21:30 on a show called Boys Night Out.I can tell you one thing, if it wasn’t for my incredible hosts keeping me fed, and Starbucks, I don’t know how I wiuld have made it! Lol

After all the hustle and bustle we headed to meet Noemi, the MOTHER of the Mr Gay World Philippines for some nice traditional-ish Philipino food, after which it was back to the hotel for some rest as the next day I would be doing a photoshoot with sash and all for the Mr Gay World 2011 competition! (not that I got any sleep, as it was midday back home, so my mind was tired, but my body was on a whole different time schedule!) I had also started to get the feel of the place, with its intense humidity and craziness yet, unlike most busy cities, there seemed to be an incredible politeness and genuine friendliness from the people. Maybe it was because I stood at least a foot taller than most of them and had blonde hair and blue eyes (a rarity in the Philippines). Either way, I felt at home. Even though the next few days were going to be hectic, it was all good....

MR. GAY WORLD 2011 Launching in Manila with Charl Van Den Berg

MAGANDANG HAPON PO!

Walking through the all familiar International Arrivals hall at OR Thambo on Monday afternoon, I think back to a week ago when I left South Africa to travel to the Philippines to launch an initiative by Mr Gay World and its counterpart, Mr Gay World Philippines Called The Red Ribbon Campaign. Like many I thought I’d be able to take a break from all the ‘pageant stuff’, lie on a beach and relax. After all, it was my birthday in just a few days and I was on a tropical island (7101 islands to be exact) so what better way to spend it, right?

After an 18 hour journey I finally arrived in Manila to the warm welcome of Mac, a Producer of Mr Gay world Philippines as well as my dear friend David Bosley, Mr Gay World Philippines 2009, whom I had become close friends with during my time in Oslo at Mr Gay World 2010. I was tired, yet as always when I’m in a new country, excited to see what this journey would bring.  The two hour drive from the airport would be my first real taste of life in Manila. A city inhabited by 23million people (Philipino population is approx 90 mil), the Metropolis of Manila is a hustle and bustle of cars, tri-cycles and Jeepnies (their public transport) all thrown into what I could only describe as organized chaos! I thought Jo-burg traffic was bad…lol….yea right! Yet, the people seem to have an understanding, so you just go along with it. Although I must admit I was really glad I did not have to drive!

After checking into my hotel room it was off to dinner with the rest of the production team at a Brazilian restaurant in a complex called Metrowalk, where they have live music every night of the week. Oh btw, for those of you who don’t know, Philipinos are absolutely crazy about music and their celebs, a few of which are now world famous (Charise and also the dude from Black Eyed Pease). Anyway, after dinner I was briefed about my week and all the activities that would take place and starting in the morning would be a visit to all their high profile radio stations to promote the Mr Gay World 2011 Competition in Philippines as well as the launch of our Red Ribbon Campaign, that was to be held on my birthday. It was clear to me that this was not going to be a time of rest, but a time of advocacy for gay rights in the Philipines especially focussing on the matter at hand-that 3 in every 5 homosexual males were being infected with the virus daily in this country, and while the rest of the world was showing a decrease in infection rates, the Philippines showed a dramatic increase!

This week was going to be hectic, so after a few drinks with the crew it was off to my bed at the Holiday Inn Galeria to get some much needed rest for the week ahead!

END OF PART ONE!

QUICKY!

Hey ya'll!


So, I'm gonna try and get as much info into as little a space as possible...lol....hey we can't all sit on blogs the whole day reading while the boss looks over our shoulders!


So, my last days as Mr Gay South Africa: I can only say it was a pleasure. I had the privilege of spending it on a cruise with the 2010 contestants, only this time around I had a lot more time on my hands and was able to really appreciate the wonders of the ocean...and may I say stable ground...as the last day on the ship was spend walking from hard to starboard, and not because we wanted to, but because of the motion of the ocean. On Friday night a new Representative for the SA Gay Community was chosen and the entire day was like reliving my year in a nutshell while reminiscing about my own experience on the night of the 2009 competition. All in all, it was an incredible year, and if i had to write EVERYTHING down, I probably would have to compile it in a book.....maybe I should!


These next few weeks are going to be just as exciting, with the Mamba Online Sexiest Man Competition (www.mambaonline.com) on the 1st December, and then the  Philippines on the 5th where I will be addressing  the media in a speech on HIV/Aids-Where we come from, and where are we going?


On top of all that, if all goes well and according to plan, I will be releasing my Debut Single to the public during my stay in Manila and it will be available for you to download from my blog and other available sites, so keep your eyes on this spot!


Until then, Adios!
Charl

MY TRIP TO MANILA!

www.mrgayworld.org

THE NEW NISSAN 370Z

So I have had the privilege of doing some promotional work for The NEW Nissan 370Z Roadster. Since Pride Nissan has gone on a campaign together with Events and Marketing gurus BeyondRed to select VIP's from the LGBTI in South Africa to test drive the car and tell us what they think. From my perspective, I must say, I am totally blown away by not only it's performance, but also its style and the smooth ride it offers compared to its counterparts. Who better to vouch for it than SA's First Lady of First Class, Miss Cathy Specific who herself can be seen sporting around in a stunning Pearl White finish. 

Here is s thorough review done on the Nissan 370Z in the US of A.

http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/370z/review.ht

MR GAY WORLD OFFICIALLY BACKS "OUT-Well Being"

http://www.mambaonline.com/article.asp?artid=4851

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUT-15 years and still going strong!

I have to date not come across an organization that is so fully dedicated to helping the LGBTI community, in ALL its facets, needs and concerns, as OUT is. With their involvement in the advocacy of the LGBTI community in the realm of equality in SA, OUT has shown that they truly stand as representatives of the entire community and are a Presence to the general public and an organization which stands firm in its beliefs and serves to protect the rights of its community.

With regards to work on grassroots level, OUT has proven to be a definite forerunner when it comes to research on the Health and Well-being of the LGBTI community with Projects such as their PRISM Project, which is aimed at not only the distribution of prevention methods, but also educational tools such as pamphlets, flyers and open days, while also offering support groups and counselling (both via web-access, telephonic or personal) to members of the public. Along with this they offer comprehensive treatment at their PRISM Lifestyle Centre where services such as HIV Testing, Counselling and General Physical Examinations are conducted by trained and friendly staff.

As Mr Gay South Africa 2009/Mr Gay World 2010, it truly is an Honour to be associated with OUT. As the nature of my work is on a global scale, it is not always easy to touch base on ground level as much as I would like and I am grateful to organizations such as OUT for their ability to reach out to the community in such a great manner.

On behalf of the Mr Gay South Africa and Mr Gay World organizations I would like to congratulate OUT for their incredible service to the LGBTI over the past fifteen years and wish them luck in their future endeavours! Happy Birthday and may the next fifteen years be even more successful than the last!

Charl van den Berg

Visit them at http://www.out.org.za/

SAME SEX PARENTS GAIN VICTORY AT HOME AFFAIRS

We (Desmond & I) finally have our Unabridged Birth Certificates in hand, that reflect both our names. It's been an uphill battle with Home Affairs the past 3 months, but with perseverance and support from family, friends and other parents we got it done.


I have been informed by Home Affairs official that the changes made on the system will be permanent and that the changes will apply to all citizens of South Africa.

Now same-sex parents would be able to register their children without complications.

The unabridged birth certificate will reflect Parent 1 and Parent 2.

Further to the above, new forms are available at all DHA (Department of Home Affairs) offices, we are liaising with Home Affairs to inform us of the documentation numbers, e.g. DHA 24 so that when you do go to DHA you can ask for the forms and get things done right from the start, without having to go back and forth.

Regards
Rudi & Desmond

MR GAY SOUTH AFRICA 2010 TOP 12 FINALISTS

In a Gala event held in Pretoria's Brooklyn Theatre, The Last Regional Final was held for the Mr Gay South Africa 2010 Competition. After months of travelling and organizing the Directors made the Top 12 Finalists know to South Africa yesterday. Here they are South Africa!

 THE FINAL TWELVE ARE (IN ALPABETICAL ORDER):


ANDRé LAMMERS-CAPE TOWN                                                        

                                       











BARRY MEYER-JOHANNESBURG

DUSTIN CARR-JOHANNESBURG

ERNEST M GRAVETT-CAPE TOWN

ERROL STROEBEL-CAPE TOWN                                                                                                        

FRANCOIS NEL-CENTURION

JARED LEE SMIT-PRETORIA

ROSS ERLANK-PRETORIA

TSHEPO CHUENYANE-PRETORIA

SHANNON C REX-PRETORIA

KARL-HEINZ MICHEL-PRETORIA 

PRINCE MKHIZE-DURBAN

All twelve will be at Joburg Pride on 2 October and on the cruise from 15 – 19 November on the MSN Sinfonia to Mozambique. 

THE CRITERIA FOR THE WINNER:
The directors have stated again that the criteria of Mr. Gay World (http://www.worldwidemrgay.com/) , to which Mr. Gay South Africa is licensed and must adhere, are as follows:

1. The primary purpose of Mr. Gay World is to identify leaders who will take responsibility of being a spokesperson not only in his own community but on a global stage speaking out for equal and human rights. WMG is a positive role model and will work on humanizing being gay in the media both queer and mainstream.
2. Regional producers are responsible for selecting which delegates will represent their region as the best possible spokesperson for local culture, ideas and equal and human right challenges.
3. The Competition includes athletic tests and extensive interviews with our panel of judges. Judging points are based on a diverse set of criteria including qualities in charisma, leadership, personality, appearance and communication.

The SMS competition, which counts for 25% of the marks, and where the community chooses their favourites, will be launched in the next few days.

Barry Vorster, one of the directors said: “This leg is extremely important as the community will get to have their say and makes out such a huge part of the score that it could determine the ultimate winner. The results of the vote will be made known by the SMS provider at the GRAND FINALE in a transparent and open manner.”

Profiles with the background and photos of each finalist will be posted on the website (http://www.mrgaysouthafrica.co.za/) in the next week.

CALIFORNIA GAY MARRIAGES BANNED UNTIL 2011

"A California appeals court has extended the ban on gay marriages until the end of the year. After US District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the ban was unconstitutional, weddings were meant to begin on Tuesday at 5pm. Opponents of same-sex marriages made a last minute dash to the 9th District Court of Appeals last night, successfully arguing that the ban should stay in place until they have appealed. The court demanded that gay marriage opponents must argue why they have the legal standing to bring the case to court.


Pink News reports California Governor Arnold Scwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown are the legal defendants in the case but both have refused to support it. Last week, they both called for Judge Walker to lift the ban immediately."-DNA Magazine, http://www.dnamagazine.com.au/

COULD THEY MAKE UP THEIR MINDS ALREADY!

THE BIRDS, THE BEES AND THE...BOYS!

BABYLON THE CLUB SOUTH LAKE CENTRE LENCHEN ROAD NORTH
Centurion, South Africa
August 28 at 8:00pm - August 29 at 4:00am
http://www.babylontheclub.co.za/

Hello my sweets Blossoms.

The birds are doing it, the bees are doing it. And even educated fleas are doing it! Let’s party and fall in love- because spring is in the air.Ahhh we can finally put away those winter jackets and layers of close, and dress like we always do. As little as possible! This means hot boys without shirts on the dance floor shaking what their mammas gave them for our delight to watch and drool!

if you’re in... the party mood and want to celebrate spring with us, they don’t miss our spring party this Saterday-28 August as we warm it up and celebrate the beginning of life and all that’s hot and sexy in the world! Babylon is the place to be this spring as we promise to bring you the best in clubbing entertainment that will not only warm up your nites,but will leave you begging for more! We have a great line up of events for the next two months which includes the event of the year-Gay Pride 2010.But we will keep you posted on that!

Get ready for our Flower Power party this Saturday and dress the theme as we will be giving away prizes for the best dress and hottest guy on the dance floor! Invite your friends and don’t be a Pansy (and we don’t mean the flower) and make Babylon your number 1 clubbing choice as you know we won’t let you down. We still have the best music and funky club vibe around and with our affordable drinks you are sure to have a good time.

There are Bone Wear give-aways from Mr Gay South Africa/World 2010, Charl Van den Berg and there will be a Tatoo artist tatooing non- permanent tatoos, You can stand a chance in winning permanent tatoos!!!

                                                   HAPPY HOUR!!!

Buy one drink and get one FREE on selected drinks before 10 pm.

We hope to see you all this Saturday as we Celebrate Spring the only way we know how-THE GAY WAY!!!!!

Remember-Power to the flower!

Doors open at 20h00pm.Entrance fee is R50.

South Lake Centre, Cnr Lenchen North and South Road, Centurion.

Babylon-A new Dimension in Gay Clubbing. We will Rock You!

No gays in Iran, says Ahmadinejad

THE AVTIVIST:

"I grew up in fear, and I'm used to it. After a while, the fear becomes a part of life and you stop being afraid."

This is a statement made by an Iranian Gay Rights Activist. In a short article written on Gay life in Iran, some of the people tell of having secret social meetings where they are able to be open to each other and share their stories, while other speak of being set up, kidnaped and raped by Iranian militia.

 When he recalls what he went through, he describes it as if it was a nightmare.


"At that moment when they blindfold you, even though you expect terrible things to happen, you still don't believe it," he says. "I simply cried. When they beat you it's like a dream, you think you'll wake up at any moment."
He almost can't recall the rape, because he fainted almost immediately and woke up to find himself naked and alone in the room.
In an attempt to explain Ahmadinejad's 2007 claim that there are no homosexuals in Iran, Faruh says, "According to religion, there can't be homosexuals – that's what they believe. Religion says we're all the same, we're all normal, get married, have children, and only a few choose to amuse themselves with other things."
"According to Iranian law", he continues, "the only illegal aspect is the act itself of sexual intercourse between men, but in order to be charged, someone needs to witness the act."

Recently they had their version of PRIDE, a quiet meeting in a house, after which they went for a drive, with rainbow flags waving proudly...inside the car.

TO MARCH OR NOT TO MARCH

Hey there folks

With Johannesburg's Gay Pride around the corner (http://www.joburgpride.org/) I have come across a lot of debate over whether or not there is still a need for PRIDE marches, especially in SA. Some people feel that we have gained what we wanted and we now have a pretty liberal constitution that allows us the rights we once fought for. Some feel that it should be tansformed into a different kind of celebration or sorts and others feel that it should just be taken away completely as it has become a specticle to the 'straight' world out there and paints a wrong picture of what it means to be gay.

I have posted a new poll to see what you guys out there feel. Is there a need for Pride Parades? What is your opinion on Pride? Has it become a spectacle, or does it still have a very important role to play in our society? Why do you really attend Pride?

Let me hear your thoughts

Love
Charl

Mr.Gay World 2011, PHILIPPINES

Charl Kwela.wmv

Out.com Exclusives | The Greatest, Gayest Videos of All Time

Out.com Exclusives The Greatest, Gayest Videos of All Time

Hey ya'll!

Well here is something on more lighthearted note! Take a look at these 'gayest' videos of all time, and think back at where you were at the time of the release of it....the outcome might be a bit scary...LOL

South Asian LGBT Community Marches in India Day Parade - WNYC

South Asian LGBT Community Marches in India Day Parade - WNYC

TO BE OR NOT TO BE....GAY!

Here is an article I read in Advocate Magazine's Online page recently (http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/08/14/A_Treatment_for_Lesbianism/)

I thought you guys might find it interresting:

A hormonal treatment given to pregnant mothers who are at risk of giving birth to babies with ambiguous genitalia is raising concern among some researchers and gay activists because the treatment also decreases the likelihood that the baby will grow up a lesbian, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The General idea is to prevent the developement of 'ambiguous genitalia' but there is a concern that Prenatal Dexamethasone Therapy  might be the first step to genetically engineering your child's sexual orientation, in other words, parents can choose to engineer their kids to NOT be gay.

Needless to say, this leaves us with quite a few questions and cencerns for the unborn child.

What truly determines sexuality or even more so sexual orientation in the womb? What if the born child realises that the organs he/she was 'engineered' with are not what he/she wants? Does this kind of treatment really 'cure' homosexuality, and why the heck do you need a cure for Homosexuality in the first place? Does it mean they will also be able to engineer people to NOT be  homophobic?

What do you think?

THE SOUTH REGIONAL FINALS FOR MR GAY SOUTH AFRICA 2010

The South Regional Finals of Mr. Gay South Africa 2010 was held in Cape Town on 07 August 2010 at The Glen Boutique Hotel in Sea Point with Chris Hattingh, manager and co-owner, who hosted the event.
The judges were Mr. Gay South Africa 2009 finalist Shahin Eskandar, renowned Brazilian fashion designer and previous coordinator of the Miss Universe™ pageant in West Africa, Luiz de la Ja; Gary de Klerk, experienced Mr. Gay South Africa™ judge and editor of Pink Tongue; and Blaine Shapiro-Dodds, brand executive of radio station Good Hope FM.
The contestants competed in an interview section, which counted for 50% of their total, and in formal wear, jeans and underwear by Bone Wear, the Official Underwear Sponsor of Mr. Gay South Africa™.

The winner, who was announced after the top five were called to the stage in matching black sports shirts with the South African flag prominently displayed, was André Lammers, 23, a drama student and part-time model, who is finishing his studies this year. First runner-up was 34-year old Errol Stroebel, food and beverage manager of the well-known Cullinan Hotel, who was also placed in the Mr. Cape Town Pride pageant and 2nd runner-up was Ernest Gravett, whose supporters made up a very lively first row of the audience. Wandile Mbunyuza of Khayelitsha, a volunteer worker for Health 4 Men, took the Mr. Personality crown.
The winner, André Lammers, won prizes in excess of R20 000, including a R6 000 bursary from Official Learning Partner of Mr. Gay South Africa™, College SA, a R6 000 diamond and precious stones pendant set in white gold, from Official Jeweller to Mr. Gay South Africa™, CW Design Jewellers, a weekend away sponsored by Durban View Guesthouse in Durban, a voucher from Bone Wear and the main prize, a cruise on the MSN Sinfonia to Mozambique from 15 – 19 November 2010, co-sponsored by Mr. Gay South Africa (Pty) Ltd. and Official Cruise Sponsor, Alternative Travel.

(article provided by Coenie Kukkuk)

AND THE WINNER IS:

I had the honour to be a judge at Babylon's firt ever Face Of Babylon Competition!

I was truly pleased at the well organised event and the support for the communtiy was incredible!

what I loved about it the most was the fact that they did not lable it a "Mr or Ms" Babylon. This left room for a variety of entrants, something far more appropriate and suited for members of the Rainbow Flag!The entertainment was provided by some of Joburg (and definately SA's) BEST drag artists and truly made the event even more worth while attending (not a lot of extroadinary acts out there anymore, but these girl had the crowd eating out of their hands).

But the man (in this case) of the hour was no other than Andre J. Smith, a 23 year old guy with more to him than meets the eye! From the word "GO" he had the adience cheering away and ater hearing his introduction speech, i could see this man meant bussiness! Needless to say, he walked off with not just the title of  FACE OF BABYLON, but also with Best Personality as well as Best Dressed. He truly fulfilled ALL those roles and suffice to say, I made him swear on his grave that he would enter Mr Gay South Africa 2010-lol!

VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Hey there all

Last week I posted a question to you all from a lady who was concerned about the treatment kids with gay parents get in school. There were a lot of mixed emotions concerning this topic. A few of you felt that we as gay couples have the right to have kids, that it formed part of our rights in society and that the problem lay more with the education children received from their parents with regards to people/families who were 'different' to them. Others felt that it was not fair to the children to be put through even more pressure at school than what they already face on a daily basis.I thank you for all your input.

Today, I am posting a letter I received from a gay couple who recently became fathers. This time we get to see things from the parents point of view. I think you might find this interresting:

"Since the birth of our twins, 13 June 2010, we have battled with Home Affairs to get our twin boys registered with both our surnames.

Due to the recent change on the Children's Act, we did not have to undergo the procedure of adoption. As I am the biological and natural father to the children and we are married, we only had to submit our application to the High Court to declare us as the legal parents. Which we have done and the High Court signed a Court Order on 22 June 2010, declaring us the legal parents.
According to Home Affairs staff, we as a same-sex couple can not register our children with both our surnames due to the fact that a man can not give birth to a child. Home Affairs insists that the birth mother's name should be listed on the birth certificates. However the High Court has signed a Court Order declaring my husband and I as the legal parents to the children. We have completed all the necessary applications for re-registration on 29 June 2010, documents were only handed to Home Affairs head office (by hand) on 02 July 2010. Home Affairs has been sitting with our applications and all other related documents for over a month now, only when I called the offices did they started making work of our case. We have been lied to by staff of Home Affairs, whereby they told us that our applications were with their legal department and that they were awaiting an instruction from their legal department. Subsequently I have found out (from the legal department, Litigation Officer) that our case was only brought to their attention on 05 August 2010.

It has been well over a month now that we have been waiting for the Abridge Birth Certificates. I have written emails and have spoken to several people, and still I am being told that they are looking into the matter. Today our case has been brought to the attention of the Office to the Director-General, thanks to the Democratic Alliance for their assistance. However, this being said I must still wait until Thursday to see if the next person could do anything about the registrations. When gay-marriages were legalized, Home Affairs had done all the necessary changes on all documents pertaining to registration of the marriage. However they have not made any attempt to make the necessary changes on the Registration documents for the registration of a child/ren born to same-sex couples through surrogacy.

When a heterosexual couple register a child that was born to them through surrogacy, there seems to be no questions asked as there is a male and female listed as father and mother of the child. But when two men or two women want to register a child/ren born to them through surrogacy, a thousand questions are asked and rude remarks are passed. In my view and opinion it is nothing but discrimination against gay people and I find it a violation of my human rights. The fact of the matter remains that in 2001 a similar case was brought to the constitutional court and the High Court then made a ruling that section 5 of the Childrens Act of 1987 was unconstitutional.

In nine years Home Affairs have done nothing to change any documentation pertaining to the registration of children born through surrogacy to same-sex couples."

QUICK QUESTION:

Ok, so for those of you who were wondering what the whole 'Solar Flares and such 'heading was about, i was just thinking maybe the Solar Flare had something to do with it.

Back to the Quick Question:

I recently spoke to a lady about the idea of one day wanting Children of my own. She replied with the question: "Do you think its right, I mean for Gay Couples to have kids?" I responded by asking her what she meant by that question? She said that she knows a gay couple who's kids are in the same school as her grand children, and that these kids are constantly being teased because their parents are 'diferent' that the others and she didnt feel that it was fair on the kids to be put through such issues.

So, this weeks poll is this (and im going to post the very word she asked me): IS IT FAIR ON THE KIDS TO HAVE GAY PARENTS?

Go and make your mark, and please feel free to post your own opinions on my blog. I would really love to hear both sides of the story. Especially from gay couples who do have kids.

till lata

Charl

SLOAR FLARES AND SUCH!

So without any doubt I'm sure you all will aggree with me that this week's major story is the judgement on Proposition 8.
For those of you who do not know yet, U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker this week declared Proposition 8 uncostitutional and said that "California "has no interest in differentiating between same-sex and opposite-sex unions". The ruling was the first in the country to strike down a marriage ban on federal constitutional grounds. Previous cases have cited state constitutions. To read more about this story go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-gay-marriage-california-20100805,0,2696248.story .

THE FACE OF BABYLON 2010

Sunday the 8th August will be the final event in this years FACE OF BABYLON, you may still enter by downloading the entry form and emailing it to Graham. We will also have a Scout on Saturday night handing out forms to some of our patron that he would like to be entered into the event.

Remember Monday is a public holiday and the party can only get bigger.

First Prize is R5000 and two tickets on the Babylon Cruise happening in Nove...mber.

So come on Boiz... GET NOTICED!

You CAN be the FACE of BABYLON!


Contact Info:

Email: info@babylontheclub.co.za
Website: http://www.babylontheclub.co.za/
Location: South Lake Center cnr. Lenchen Street North and South rd
               Centurion, South Africa

MR GAY SOUTH AFRICA- SOUTH REGIONAL FINALS

 We are looking forward to a wonderful event with sexy boys, a great singer, good company and more - Cape Town, the Mr. Gay South Africa™ 2010 road show is on its way to YOU ...

Bookings received are fast approaching the amount of seats we have hired, please mail NOW if you want to book - otherwise standing room only, which is also limited. Mail hennie@mrgaysouthafrica.co.za with 'Cape Town' in the heading and amount of guests.

Possible contestants - you have 32 hours to enter still - until close of business tomorrow, Wed. 4th of Aug. NB: Men of colour are encouraged to enter to reflect the racial diversity of our country.

Remember, prizes of R20 000 are on offer, and much more if you qualify -see prizes listed here: http://www.mrgaysouthafrica.co.za/prizes. You will also receive a set of Bone Wear designer underwear just by entering. You have nothing to lose – we are there to prepare and rehearse you … and show the best you have, not to embarrass you. Quite the contrary.

My mother always says - 'You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket ..." ;-)

This is more than a lottery - it's 50% personality as well!

See you this weekend.

For more info go to: http://www.mrgaysouthafrica.co.za/

WHOOSH!

Ok, so this has been a VERY jam packed week with little bits and bobs running aroud all over the place! I thought i'd give you just a quick run down of whats been happenning in and around!

So this weekend saw Mr Gay South Arica choose their two representatives from the Central Region. Congratulations to Jared Smit and Prince Mkhize. From what i could see it looked like a seriously well organised event, but then again, i would not expect anything less from the incredible team at Mr Gay South Africa. When it comes to events, they know how to host! This leaves only the South Regional finals and the Jozi Finals to be held before we all wizz off on the Cruize, a highlight in the competition (also as 50% of the guys total mark in the competition is judged on the ship). Then on the 26th November, its out with the old and in with the New as we elect a representative for the Gay Community of SA for 2010/2011. This very lucky man will have the privilege of attending the M Gay World Finals to be held in Manilla, Phillipines, in March 2011, and who knows, maybe we get to keep the title on African soil!

To keep rack of events as they unfold feel free to visit their facebook page as well as they webpage on http://www.mrgaysouthafrica.co.za/

catch you lata!
C

THE VERY LATE UPDATE!-PART DUEX

So anyway, i came back form Berlin, literally packed our backs and three days later we hopped in the car and off to Jozi (for those who don't know, Jozi is what we call Johannesburg) we went!

Patrick and i have been in Jozi for the better part of a month now. Initially i was a bit nervous. I remember our last night in Cape Town, what was supposed to be a quick drink and a goodbey became an entire night of goodbeys, as we went past every one of our favourite spots and naturally bumped into people we knew.

The next day, after saying goodbey to one of my best friends Mo, I had to contain myself (or burts out in tears). We were finally doing it, finally taking that step! I think both Patrick and I had thoughts of turning back, which we both held in until we were too far to turn back!

A month down the line, i must admit that i am enjoying Jhb! Thanks to friends and family that make it worth while being here, not to mention the new friends and family we have met and come to know over the past four weeks! Thank you to you all!

I think both of us have fallen into the Jhb groove and i personally look forward to what Jozi has to offer!

Oh, and if you were wondering what is what that i learnt during my trip to Berlin?

Imagine, walking down a street, and through a GATE that was once a check point that segregated people, in a City and Country that was once the epicentre of a World War, but now Hosts one of the worlds LARGEST Gay Pride events annually! It amazed me once again that not long ago there was NOTHING there. Not long ago, you were killed for being different. Today i can walk down that same street, pass through the same gate and be a tourist in that very city and feel FREE

FACE OF BABYLON 8th of August 2010

Hi all you beauty Kings and Queens

As most of you are aware of by now Babylon is hosting its first ever Pageant-The face Of Babylon.

As always Babylon promises to make it into a spectacular event not to be missed. As Monday being a public Holliday, Babylon will open its doors on Sunday the 8th of August to host this grand affair. We are looking for that unique individual that has a positive, fresh and funky style to them, whether it is looks or personality wise that would be an ambassador to the club!

Usually a club that hosts such a pageant chooses a Mr and a Miss Title holder to represent their club. We wanted to do it a bit different and decided to call it the FACE OF BABYLON.

So if you are interested in entering the Face of Babylon then please go to the Babylon Group page on Facebook and fill in the Entry form and send your photo’s to Graham. Or you could also fill in the Entry form at Babylon on Saturday night and drop of your Photo’s there. If you should require any more info regarding this pageant then please feel free to contact us on our Facebook group.

So time is running out, get those photo’s taken and send them to us ASAP.There are some great prizes in store for the lucky winner of this Competition, such as a fabulous boat cruise for two, a R5000 cash prize and also a variety of vouchers. So if you always wanted to be royalty and be in the spotlight, then I suggest you get your gay self moving and enter. Even if you have never done something like this before, take a chance and enter. You never know-you might just be Gay SA’s Face of Babylon!

To all our loyal patrons please come and support us on the 8th Of August as we will need your opinion in choosing the right person to represent YOU at Babylon. Hope to see you all there.

Remember Babylon-We will rock you.

http://www.babylontheclub.co.za/

NEWS FROM ZIMBABWE

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party will block any draft constitution that does not reflect the views and values of the party, a top official has said, signaling more problems ahead for Zimbabwe’s troubled constitutional reforms.

                                     http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=6203

UNAIDS Salutes Country Leadership To Eliminate HIV-related Restrictions On Entry, Stay And Residence

UNAIDS Salutes Country Leadership To Eliminate HIV-related Restrictions On Entry, Stay And Residence

LIFE AFTER THE SCENE

So today i posed a question to you all out there. It something that has been on my mind for some time now and i think at one point or another we ALL end up thinking about it.

What happens to the elderly gay community once they 'fall off the gaydar' and they have reached their proverbial expiery date?

This is obviously not just pertaining to men, but also to women and the rest of the LGBTI community. In what a friend of mine would like to call the 'GAY STOCK EXCHANGE' it seems that at some point we all face our individual 'retirement-plan' and unless you are loaded with cash or have the good body or wear the right clothes etc, you are pretty much going to end up being one of those guys (or girls) who either sits alone at home, or a room, without any real friends (maybe) or on the corner of a bar looking at all the young ones passing by and thinking to yourself, 'wow....those were the days....' only to go home again, alone.

What if there was a place that granted you the peace of mind to know that you were surrounded by your peers, not necesarily a partner, but just good riends around you. What if you were in a place where you knew you were being looked after in you old age, by professional people. What if you knew you were still important to the community, the village that you helped build.

So this weeks poll is pretty simple;

DO YOU THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR A RETIREMENT VILAGE/CENTRE OR EVEN JUST A SPACE WHERE THE OLDER FOLK CAN STILL FEEL LIKE A PART OF THE 'GAY VILLAGE'?

Go check out the poll and feel free to vote and have your friends vote too. After all, who knows, YOU might be the one that ends up feling left out and forgotten.

ciao
Charl

CBC News - World - Argentina Senate approves same-sex marriage

CBC News - World - Argentina Senate approves same-sex marriage

THE VERY LATE UPDATE!

Heya!

Ok, so first order of the day is to apologise for my VERY late posting. its been quite a while, but lemme explain!

About three weeks ago i boarded the plane for another trip to a foreign country. This time i set my course for Berlin, where i was to attend the Christopher Street Parade. Now for those of you who don't know, Christopher Street is in the West village, New York City. this used to be the hub of gay life in the 70's. It is also the street on which you would find Stonewall Inn. its patrons started a series of riots in 1969 and this is seen to be the initiation of the gay libration movement. In short, today, we have have these guys, and Christopher street to thank for our Gay Pride, and Berlin hosts one of the Biggest Christopher Street Parades in the world.

So anyway. it just seemed right that i go. Now this was not a social call. It was the first time i got to sit down with Eric and Tore, Directors of Mr Gay World, after the competition. I arrived on the Thursday morning and was accomomdated at the lovely Kempinski Hotel Adlon, thanks for that Bruce, it was truly such a great experience. On the Friday evening, once everybody had arrived from their respective countries, MR GAY EUROPE, Sergio Lara also being there, we attended a VIP Evening hosted by AIR FRANCE/KLM at the lovely Kempinski Adlon. here we got to meet with Celebrities and the like from Germany and it was an honour to be there as Mr Gay World representing the Greater Gay community.

The next morning we had just enough time for an early breakfast before Sergio, Eric and I headed off to Patrick Hellmann or our fitting. From the fitting it was straight back to the hotel to drop off our gear, then head off to the start of the parade where Sergio and i hopped onto the first Float and so began the four hour procession to the endline and the Brandenburger Gate, where a big concert would be held that evening with internatioal Dj's and artists, but our duties were not done yet, we still had a photoshoot! Back at the Hotel Sergio and I got out of our pride gear and into the suits for the Kempinski Shoot, in the Presidential Suite. Now to give you an idea, this suite is the very suite that the Late King, MJ, dangled his baby rom the window. so ther was a certain sence of awe about it. :)

Long story short, Saturday came and went and and I finally got into bed at about 3pm having sat in meetings for most of the night.

Sunday morning, was my last day in Berlin, so i managed to get some sight seeing done and get my hands on a few gifts for the folks back home. i made it back to the hotel just in time to pack, take a few more pics and head on down to the concierge where my ride was waiting. with my total trip coming to 4 days, i had a lovely long flight back home to think about what the weekend was all about. What did i learn? What will the fruit be from this trip?

Well, my dear friends, check out Part Two of this piece and find out....

(i have to do this otherwise it gets waaayyyy to long) the rest will follow soon!

Love always

Charl

Can you FEEL it, it is HERE!

So yesterday saw the first game of the first ever FIFA world cup soccer to be held on the African continent!

If there was excitement among fans across the world because they get to see their favourite teams again play in this world class tournament, then you can bet that here in South Arica it was amplified by a million! From the night before when the (first ever) official pre-party was held, you could feel the excitement build up. You could hear the sound of Vuvuzelas blurting out their signature tone from a distance and as the day of the game drew near, so did their sound!

With my own nerves and excitement building up on Friday morning (having to go for an interview at the German Consulate) I could feel a change in the air. The cheerful sound of fans walking the streets (blowing their vuvuz) greeting each other as if they knew each other for years, made me think back to the time of the World Cup Rugby in 1995, and how it had brought our country together. Once again, people had forgotten about what separated us, and focussed on the one thing that not only brought us together, but brought the whole world together on an equal platform, or should I say pitch. Interesting how a sport, where you’d expect fan rivalry and separation, was the one thing that brought people together!

I took a proverbial ‘step back’ and looked at the crowd that had filled up the seats at La Vie (where we ended up watching the Bafana Game). The place was filled with avid soccer fans, as well as people whom had never watch a match in their life (including myself). When that first goal was scored I vividly remember ALL of us jumping up as if we had all just received a jolt of electricity at the same time! The excitement and camaraderie (and vuvu-sounds) that came from that was incredible and I could only ask myself one question…

                                       

WHY CANT EVERY DAY BE A FOOTBALL DAY!

Mr. Gay World 2010 at Your Fingertips!

Mr. Gay World 2010 at Your Fingertips!

Hey ya'll!

It's a while since I updated my blog. The reason being that this past fortnight has been a bit of an adjustment for me. As some of you might know, Patrick and I are in the process of moving to Johannesburg. I have to admit, its both daunting and exciting as it's a new starts in a new city and along with that comes the unknown, but both of us have confidence in knowing that its all going to be OK. 

It's been an interesting time since I have left my old job. I have been trying to focus more on future projects I would like to take on as Mr Gay World. I also attended a March for the two guys from Malawi, Steven and Tiwonge. By now I'm sure you all know who they are and also the end result of their fate. I must admit I was ecstatic when one of my friends, Kevin Moore called me up on Saturday afternoon, telling me he had just heard they were released. Within seconds the news spread like wild fire! At the end of the day, our voices were heard, because we all took a stand and became the voice for people who could not speak for themselves!

 ON A DIFFERENT NOTE: Some of my travelling arrangements have changed. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it to NYC Pride this year, but I will be in Berlin from the 17th -20th June! So if you are in the area, come and say hi, or just come and have a good time in Berlin.

Also, check out the ink above for  QTown. its a US magazine that has just released its 6th edition. I'm on the cover and also doing some Q and A, so let me know what you think!

For now, ill say ciao.

C