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 fourth candidate is Kevin Aerts.
Kevin Aerts is 33 years old and is living in Heist-Op-Den-Berg. He did his coming out in 2002 and his project is about “Care for older LGBT people and in senior homes”.
WAS YOUR COMING OUT EASIER OR MORE DIFFICULT THAN EXPECTED AND WHY?
“I Had a relationship in the past (about 4,5 years) with a woman and during that period I was confused with my orientation. I told her about this and she laughed it off, until I suddenly met a boy on one path and she also discovered this. There fell a big chip my shoulders, because I could talk to her about this, myself, talk about my feelings and what was going on with me, what I was experiencing … During this period, my parents never had a problem if I would fell for guys and they already told me that during my relationship with the woman. This situation also happened at the same time with a friend of my mothers. Her son/best friend also was confused about his sexual orientation. Some friends of mine already saw that I liked men and understood that I was searching for my identity.”
WHO IS YOUR BIG IDOL/SEX SYMBOL OR GREAT EXAMPLE AND WHY?
“A person I really look up to is Conchita Wurst! She shows that you have to be yourself, even if you are different than others. She stands up for transgenders and the LGBT people/community. We are all unique in the way we look or are and that you have to be proud of yourself. This is what she shows the world and let everybody hear in her texts in her music, which has a message. Like she says: “We Are Unstoppable”.
WHY IS YOUR THEME/PROBLEM SO IMPORTANT?
“LGBT care and outing yourself for LGBT seniors is still a taboo and it is difficult to come out, because the society still sees a man/woman relationship as normal. It is so ingrained in our society and into the resting homes, that they are afraid to come out. How will the other residents react, how will the staff respond to them when they are coming out. Also elderly people deserve to be themselves and not hide behind an image that in reality they are not. Older LGBT people are often a forgotten group.”
WHAT IS YOUR BEST AND WORST QUALITY?
“My best quality is that I am there for anybody and prepared to stand up and to help where I can by listening or providing help. Taking care of people is what I am born with.”
“My worst quality is more an disadvantage of above. I put everybody first before myself, which means that I sometimes forget that I exist as well. I want to do everything myself, but there are other people that can help me in need as well”.
TELL US A SECRET ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
“That in the past I’ve had a relationship with a woman.”
WHAT WILL YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE IN TEN YEARS?
“Happy and healthy settled with a partner, cottage-garden and kids and a good job.”
SHORT REACTIES ON THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
FAVORITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION: “Doesn’t matter as long there is sun, sea and beach…”
DATING-APPS: “Tinder”
SEXIEST HUNK: 
“Orlando Bloom”
MARRIAGE OR GETTING CHILDREN: “ A difficult choice, because I would want to experience them both, but if I really have to choose, I will choose for children”
PINK IN OUR LIVES: “Be yourself, even if you are different, be proud. Let PINK color your life!”.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: “I do believe in it. It’s already happened to me and it gives you a special feeling, electricity between each other, … indescribable”
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Animated film: Beauty and the beast 🙂 Movie: Dirty Dancing”
MISTER GAY BELGIUM: “A super organization that listens to the story and content of the participants and not only to the looks like in most mister competitions. Also they have a strong group/team, who accompanied the finalists during the entire period back and forth. A unique experience where you learn and discover a lot from and for which I have a lot of respect.”
Thank you for your answers Kevin 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=39381
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