A Dubbo man “with a universal story to share” of “identity and resilience” is in the running to be the next Mr Gay Pride Australia.
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Nicholas Steepe has been named as one of eight finalists in the competition run by the Australian Pride Network.
The 23-year-old, a leader within Dubbo’s gay community, was excited to learn of being chosen from among 30 applications from across the country last week.
The competition will culminate at Melbourne’s Midsumma Carnival on January 14.
It comes after a big year in which Mr Steepe and fellow same-sex marriage campaigners celebrated a majority yes vote, first in the postal survey and then in Parliament on the issue.
He was also involved in organising the third annual Central West Pride March in November that attracted hundreds of people to the centre of Dubbo.
A good friend of Mr Steepe’s recommended he nominate for the 2018 Mr Gay Pride Australia and helped him with the process.
“She thought it was something that might interest me and give me an opportunity to continue the work I’m already doing in the central west,” he said.
The friend and others in his life were proud of him progressing to the finalist stage, he said.
In Mr Steepe’s message included in the the online announcement of the finalists he said: “I want to be Mr Gay Pride Australia because I believe that I have a universal story to share with others, of identity and resilience.”
He told the Daily Liberal on Friday his story was not a unique one.
Societal and family rejection, losing friends and mental health issues because of their sexuality was common for those that identifed as LGBTIQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Questioning and Asexual), he said.
He would like to see fewer leaving regional areas to seek acceptance.
“They can remain in regional areas and create their own sense of community,” he said.
To represent Dubbo and the central west and the community here and what we have all achieved, I’m proud to be part of that...
- 2018 Mr Gay Pride finalist Nicholas Steepe
“I want to show they don’t need to go to metropolitan areas, there is acceptance in the community and regional areas.”
Mr Steepe is the only one of the finalists to live outside a capital city.
“To represent Dubbo and the central west and the community here and what we have all achieved, I’m proud to be part of that and represent that,” Mr Steepe said.
Finalists will compete in two online challenges where they will write an opinion piece to be published and then be subjected to a public vote.
Mr Steepe said he was “a little nervous” but it was “an exciting opportunity”.
When the finalists come together in Melbourne the challenges will include a photo shoot, written test, a personal interview, public speaking at Midsumma Carnival and a charity challenge.
All challenges will be scored by a judging panel and the winner will get the chance to attend Mr Gay World 2018 as Australia’s representative in South Africa from May 26-26, 2018.