Lead Pic: JORDAN. PHOTO BY SUPERCHARGED GUYS
“As a mixed-race gay man, I’m sure you can imagine how I didn’t have the easiest of childhoods in that regard. I want to spread awareness and be the role model that I wish I had when I was growing up!”
We catch up with Kent-based Mr Gay Great Britain South East contestant, Jordan.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name’s Jordan and I’m an operations manager, proud LGBTQ+ activist, and part-time underwear model from Swale in Kent. I’m also on my local Pride committee and coordinate their fundraisers and socials to help create safe spaces for the local queer community, as I feel this wasn’t common or easily accessible when I was growing up.
I also co-host a local radio show that discusses LGBTQ+ issues and our upcoming events and fundraisers.
How did you get involved in Mr Gay Great Britain 2024?
I love helping my local LGBTQ+ community, but I really want to do more and help make a bigger impact on a national scale. I discovered Mr Gay Great Britain via Instagram, and when I saw that the winner has the opportunity to represent the community in Parliament, and to be an advisor to the Equalities Minister, I knew this was my chance to have a bigger platform to influence change on a national level.
How is the winner decided?
There are multiple rounds, and your placement in each round counts towards the final tally. The rounds include: social media vote, where each ‘like’ is classed as a vote; charity fundraising round for Pride Action North and the Charlie & Carter Foundation; and the On the Day public vote – I am told that three thousand people attended last year’s event.
There are also three runway events: swimwear, formal wear, and national wear. The national wear is top secret and must be something that represents Great Britain with a queer twist. I’m very excited for this one!
There’s also Mr Congeniality – all finalists get to vote on who they would like to win; an LGBTQ+ history and current affairs quiz; and then the final overall judges’ vote.
You’re raising funds and awareness for bullying and pride. Why is this?
I’ve seen so many comments and heard so many conversations with people saying things like “It’s 2024 everyone is ok with it now”, “when is straight pride?”, and “it’s all for attention”.
So, I want to help spread awareness. Although we are in 2024 and have made lots of progress, the statistics speak for themselves – gay and bisexual men are four times more likely to attempt suicide across their lifetime than the rest of the population. LGBTQ+ people are one and a half times more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorder compared to the rest of the population.
This is a result of the many lived experiences that LGBTQ+ people will often have to deal with as a minority community, such as stigma, prejudice, and discrimination.
As a mixed-race gay man, I’m sure you can imagine how I didn’t have the easiest of childhoods in that regard. I want to spread awareness and be the role model that I wish I had when I was growing up!
Which charities are you supporting and why?
The chosen charities for Mr Gay Great Britain are Pride Action North and the Charlie & Carter Foundation. Pride Action North provide services and support to the LGBTQ+ community not only in the North but around the UK. The Charlie & Carter Foundation provides financial support to families with seriously ill children with life limiting conditions around the UK.
What are your plans if you win?
If I win, I want to spend more time in the community talking to people and different LGBTQ+ groups to understand what is important to them and what they would like to see raised in Parliament. I would like to be a voice for the community and would want to ensure that everyone feels represented.
“I would like to be a voice for the community and would want to ensure that everyone feels represented.”
As a gay man, I can only draw from my own experiences; however, each member of the LGBTQ+ community is likely to have faced different challenges and have their own experiences, so I want to know about them. I want to use this platform to spread awareness, educate, and show members of our community they are not alone.
What do you get up to when you’re not preparing for the competition?
I like going to gym, spending time with family and friends and doing part time underwear modelling where I have been lucky enough to feature in magazines with some of the biggest gay brands around the world.
With Pride season round the corner, which ones are you hoping to attend?
I’m hoping to attend as many Prides as I can around my home county of Kent, and I recently attended Canterbury Pride. The other Kent Prides I’ll be attending will be my hometown Swale, Deal, Margate, Medway, Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford. I’m making every effort to attend Brighton & Hove Pride and have a fundraiser in Brighton on Sunday, August 18 at Centre Stage that will be hosted by the fabulous Ruffles!
If you could invite five people, dead or alive, over to dinner, who would they be?
Marsha P Johnson, Freddie Mercury, Princess Diana, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. What a dinner party that would be!
How can people vote for you?
You can vote for me by visiting the ‘Mr Gay Great Britain’ Facebook or Instagram pages and simply liking the photo that says ‘Vote Jordan!’. You can also visit my personal Instagram @Jordanwch_92, and like the Mr Gay Great Britain post that is pinned at the top of my profile.
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