Finalist 2011 – Randall Benjamin
Name Randall Benjamin
City / Town Cape Town
Province Western Cape
Age 27
Career I am a Prospecting Consultant at Sanlam Head Office in Cape Town. I’m in the process of obtaining my B.Ed degree at University Of South Africa.
Previous Competitions Mr Cape Town Pride 2011.
Why do you want to be Mr. Gay South Africa™ 2011? The title Mr. Gay South Africa is one sought by many but owned by a selected few. Aside from achieving this prestigious status, the difference one can make in the capacity as Mr. GSA is what I am most envious of. The winner of Mr. GSA of prior years and more significantly, the current Mr. Gay South Africa 2010, has put LGBT matters back on the agenda of the public domain to the chagrin of many a narrow minded and oppressive representative of an unaccommodating society, I am sure. I would like the opportunity to carry forth the Olympic torch of homosexual people and attempt to bring some light to the darkness many homosexuals battle with on a daily basis. Gone are the days of being frowned upon because of a homosexual persuasion, gone are the days when we shelved LGBTI matters and basic human rights enshrined in the mere fact that we are human too and gone are the days when we had to take LGBTI celebrations and festivities underground because of the taboo’s of the societal values forced upon us. We live in a dynamic country with one of the most refreshing constitutions in the world and I for one, would relish the opportunity to represent the South African LGBT community as Mr. Gay South Africa and I have no doubt that I am able to.
Which public gay figure, South African or otherwise, do you see as a role model and why? For me to single out “a person” would be grossly unfair towards the many role models out there and certainly the many role models whom I have been blessed with in my life. I would however mention the following people because they are my personal favorites (although not gay): Gandhi, Mandela, Oprah. I consider them to be role models because of their humility and selflessness whilst at the same time; they embody an image of assertiveness and goal directedness. They are also people I can identify with and hence I would not hesitate to follow trends set by them. Role models emerge from all cultures, they represent a variety of religious persuasions, and they are not confined to gender or age but, I believe, are products of circumstance. Role models are those very people we admire, look up to and aspire to be like. They are the people who embrace their situation but works tirelessly to achieve their aspirations yet motivates people along their way to success, to follow their own paths of improvement/achievement/empowerment. To me the test of a role model is the degree of improvement/achievement/empowerment they engender in other people, often those in less accommodating circumstances, in spite of adversity and resource challenges. A person’s success in my view should not be measured only on what they have achieved but also on how they motivated others to achieve through a kind word, constructive advice, empathy and the ever underestimated natural remedy for most ills, a simple smile. In conclusion, my role models are true ambassadors for the causes they hold dear, whatever those may be.
Chosen charity to support Triangle Project
Web site / Blog http://randybenjamin.blogspot.com/
SMS Code SMS GSA 1 to 34008.Each SMS costs R2 – maximum of 100 SMS per Phone Number per day. E.g. SMS “GSA 1” to 34008.