A new year, a new name!!! It is time again as we showed you in February for a new edition of Mister Gay Belgium (formerly known as Mister Gay Flanders). The twelve contestants for 2016 are known for the public and are looking forward to take over the reign of mister Gay Flanders 2015 Skelte Willems. They have their own message to bring out to the world and show why they should be named as Mister Gay Belgium 2016 at the 28th of May in Antwerp. Time for PINK IN OUR LIVES to put all candidates separately in the spotlight and give a taste of who they are. The seventh candidate is Dominique Goedvriendt.
Dominique is 19 years old and is living in Zwijndrecht. He did his coming out in 2009 and his project is about “The Rights Of Transgenders”.
WAS YOUR COMING OUT EASIER OR MORE DIFFICULT THAN EXPECTED AND WHY?
“My coming out for me was easier than expected, because my family and friends stood behind me and supported me. I have never felt or had problems where they said to me that they think I am strange or not normal. It felt good that I had support from people who take me as I am”.
WHO IS YOUR BIG IDOL/SEX SYMBOL OR GREAT EXAMPLE AND WHY?
“Marc Coucke. Why? 
That man is someone I look up to and not because he has a lot of money and everyone knows him in Belgium. But because of the reason that he made himself from selling shampoo door to door to something really huge and building a complete company out of it ”.
WHY IS YOUR THEME/PROBLEM SO IMPORTANT? 
“In Belgium the LGBT rights are very high and respected. We have Belgian Pride in Brussels in May and Antwerp Pride in August. The transgender rights are here unfortunately pretty low and that is what I want to change. Everybody deserves the same rights, no matter their gender, religion, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Everybody is the same and I will fight for this!!!”
WHAT IS YOUR BEST AND WORST QUALITY?
“My best quality is that because of my studies I am very social. I like to talk to people and it makes my day better, when I see happy people”.
“My worst quality is that I talk too long and too much sometimes, which can bother some people”.
TELL US A SECRET ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
“When I have lots of free time, I play all the time “Sims 4”!!!”.
WHAT WILL YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE IN TEN YEARS?
“Hopefully happy with a house, a garden, a pet animal and engaged to someone, who means the world to me”.
SHORT REACTIONS ON THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
FAVORITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION: “Egypt”
DATING-APPS: “Mainly to get to know somebody new? Tinder”
SEXIEST HUNK: 
“Nick Bateman”
MARRIAGE OR GETTING CHILDREN: “I would like to have children in the future, but most of all I would like to get married”
PINK IN OUR LIVES: “Website to find global information about our LGBT community! http://www.pinkinourlives.com is the address”
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: “Love is blind like the most say until you get to know them better”
FAVORITE MOVIE: “The Lion King ( I am a huge Disney fan)”
MISTER GAY BELGIUM: “I don’t know better people that can build this platform where you can be yourself with a group that supports you all the way”.
Thank you for your answers Dominique and for letting my readers and your voters getting to know you better. You can vote for him through this link with OutTv: https://www.facebook.com/OUTTVBE/app/129570913824547?app_data=39386
May the best GAY win!!! Thank you also photographers Johan Vos, Marc Drofmans, Kevin Wuyts, Emmanuel Deprijckere, Ivo Gautier, René Emmerink and Johan Cansse for the great pictures of all the candidates and www.welovemisses.be for the video.
See more at www.mrgaybelgium.be and please follow us for more about the contestants at Facebook, Youtube, Instagram , Twitter or Tumblr
Big kiss,
Lesley Middleton