fine print

Mr. Gay World slaps former winner with gag order and it all sounds messy AF

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Louw Breytenbach (@louwbreytenbach02)

A former Mr. Gay World pageant winner has hired a lawyer to defend himself against the organization after it served him with a gag order, and not the fun kind.

Louw Breytenbach won the title in 2021, but refused to sign the final contract when he realized it stipulated the organization would be his exclusive agent for any bookings or acting gigs.

Breytenbach already had an agent for TV roles, and wanted to keep it that way.

“I don’t need them to manage whatever TV opportunities I get,” he said at the time. “My suggestion was that they manage me based on opportunities pertaining to the pageant and my role as Mr. Gay World.”

He also balked at the clause which stipulated a €5,000 fine should he step down as Mr. Gay World during his time in the position.

“This penalty is unlawful,” he said. “What if they are in breach of contract, should I still pay the penalty? This does not make sense.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Louw Breytenbach (@louwbreytenbach02)

And then there was his uneasiness about the organization’s “inability to be audited when they refused to divulge how funds are used for the Mr Gay World Foundation.”

“I think it is my right to know what happens to [the] money that I raise for the organization in my capacity as Mr Gay World. Who is benefiting from all of [these] sponsorships?”

Well, now the Mr. Gay World Foundation would like him and his publicist, Gavin Prins, to retract these and other public statements they’ve made, reports The Citizen. The pair have hired advocate Quintin Steyn to defend them against the order.

“I can hereby confirm that the Mr Gay World Foundation has served my clients, former Mr Gay World Louw Breytenbach and his publicist, Gavin Prins with an interdict application to seek a court order to have both retract and apologize in public for alleged defamatory statements made in the media,” Steyn said in a statement, adding that he’s submitted a supplementary affidavit on behalf of his clients.

Breytenbach, for his part, said his “reason for resigning was never to tarnish the reputation of the organization, but rather because of value differences.”

After Breytenbach gave up his sash, the title was given to Bonginkosi Ndima…who also resigned shortly thereafter.

Mr Gay World 2022 will take place in Cape Town, South Africa from October 9-16, and we have to imagine contestants are reading those contracts a little more closely this year.

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated