JASON ROGERS TAKES MR GAY SA TITLE

Twenty-two-year old Jason Lee Rogers from Pretoria was crowned the fourth Mr Gay South Africa 2012/2013 on Saturday night.

Rogers, who is a medical technologist, told Mambaonline that he was surprised to have been chosen as the favourite.

“So many of the other candidates could have won,” he said. “It was hard work, but it really paid off.”

He explained that he will bring his own unique style to the title, aiming to offer a more personal touch to his reign. “I want to be remembered as a person, not for my title,” adding “I’ll be trying to reach the youth more.”

On the Mr Gay South Africa website, Rogers earlier wrote: “The reason I want to become Mr Gay South Africa is to be an example to show every one they are not alone, that maybe my pride can be an inspiration to someone else. This is an opportunity to reach more people than I ever could alone.”

In addition to taking the crown, the young blond hunk was awarded the Bone Wear Underwear Model of the Year as well as the Best Charity Work award for raising R13,000 to benefit animal welfare.

Rogers was chosen via a combination of SMS votes from the public, as well as various judging panels.

He will be representing South Africa at the Mr. Gay World competition, which has twice been won by South Africans, in Antwerp, Belgium next year.

Steve Williams, a 37-year-old internal audit manager from Cape Town, was named the first runner up and deputy to Mr Gay South Africa. Williams was also the winner of the popularity award, having received the most votes from the public.

He was followed in third place by 22-year-old personal assistant Brian Clough from Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, who also scored the Best Sportsman of 2012 title.

The Mr Gay South Africa 2012/2013 winners were announced at a glittering event at the Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria.

The show featured performances by Timothy Moloi, Freddie van Dango, and new rising stars Nell and Eden Michelle, and was hosted by TV’s Terence Bridgett and Cathy Specific.

The Mr. Gay South Africa competition states that its mission is to find “a role model and a noticeable representative of which the entire LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex) community can be proud of.”