Excitement is in the air, as we near the kick off this year’s Pride Festival in Uganda and as usual, one of the most looked forward to events is the MR AND MISS PRIDE pageant. To give the community a sneak peek into what they should expect, we talked to some of the contestants that will grace the runway.

Here are their reasons for taking part in the prized beauty contest and what they plan to do for the community if they win.

 

NAME: Rashid Ratib Mayanja

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual

OCCUPATION: Fashion Designer

AGE: 24 years old

Why are you contesting for MR PRIDE 2016?

I have noticed that the LGBT community needs help with job creation and economic empowerment and I thought this was a great space for me to try and help the youth especially to turn this round.

How will you implement this?

I will focus mainly on talents and skills and simply try to find ways that they can use these to make money. Hopefully,  I will be able to impact as many LGBTI youth as possible.

 

NAME: Arthur Mubiru

GENDER IDENTITY: Transman

OCCUPATION: Clinical Officer, Freedom and Roam Uganda

Why are you contesting for MR PRIDE 2016?

I am contesting for MR PRIDE 20016 because I picked interest in portraying the LGBTI image on a wider level.

What are your plans for your reign, if you win?

If I win, I’m looking forward to continuously advocating for LGBTI rights in Uganda; we live in all societies in Uganda and I intend to find ways of correcting the misconceptions the society has towards us. I will try to see that we are accepted and treated better by the greater society. My message will basically be that of acceptance. I will also make sure I take my campaign to rural areas because the LGBTI people in rural areas are often times not given the platform to express themselves.

NAME: Abdu Wahab Shakira

AGE: 21

OCCUPATION:  Street Vendor

GENDER: Transman

Why are you contesting for MR PRIDE 2016?

I want to be a shoulder to lean on for the grass root LGBTI person like myself, especially those affected by poverty notably from slums of Kampala.

What are your plans for the community if you win?

I will try to fight the problem of homelessness amongst LGBTI persons in Uganda.

NAME: Kyazze Arnold

AGE: 22

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Gay

OCCUPATION: Poultry Farmer

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS IF YOU WIN THIS CONTEST?

I want to tackle the problem of unemployment in the LGBTI community by employing my fellow  LGBTI youth on my poultry farm.

NAME: Poison Ivy

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: (In his own words ) Power bottom!

AGE: 22 years

OCCUPATION: Civil Servant

Why are you contesting for MISS PRIDE 2016?

It gives me a platform to access the right people within the community. I am a closeted case friends for people who don’t know gay people but for this community I am very easy to identify. I have often seen my other LGBTI friends in situations where I could not be of help even when I wanted to and I think this will be a very good space to provide assistance to LGBTI persons in need.

As a gay man, why are you contesting for MISS PRIDE?

The rainbow community is one of many shades and we cannot limit ourselves to certain boxes. I like to cross dress, put on wigs and make up; I am a proud drag queen.

What do you intend to do as MISS PRIDE?

I want to be a champion for health issues in this community. People still don’t know where they can get health services yet we have a number of service providers giving us free access to health care. I intend to make sure we all know where to find these services.

I also want to organize a security boot camp to help up our security consciousness. We have seen our activists being attacked and it’s about time we got some self defense skills.

NAME: Emmanuela

AGE: 23

GENDER: Transwoman

OCCUPATION: Traditional dancer and Karaoke performer in night clubs

Why did you join the MISS PRIE 2016 contest?

To be famous and get known.  I also want to network and make new friends beyond my common circles as well as live a better and descent life.

What she will do for the community if you win?

I will help homeless kids and form an orphanage. I also want to impart moral discipline among the LGBTI youth and teach them how to conduct themselves in public. To those who can manage traditional dances, I intend to employ those in my traditional drama group.

NAME: Sasha

AGE: 26

GENDER: Transwoman

OCCUPATION: Currently unemployed (She is a refugee from DRC)

Why are you taking part in the MISS PRIDE 2016 contest?

I want to network and know more about the Ugandan LGBTI community as well as work with this community to fight against discrimination of sexual minorities in Uganda and East African as a whole.

What are your plans if you are crowned MISS PRIDE?

I mainly want to fight HIV/AIDS and STDs in the Ugandan LGBTI community by sensitizing members about safer sex  through use of condoms and lubricants.

NAME: Princess Rihanna

GENDER IDENTITY: Transwoman

AGE: 22 years

OCCUPATION:  Peer Educator

Why are you contesting for MISS PRIDE 2016?

I contested last year but didn’t win and decided that I would salvage myself this year by bringing something special and different to the contest.

If you win, what do you plan to do during your tenure as MISS PRIDE?

I want to mainly focus on sexual health of LGBTI youth in rural areas. I want o make sure they are receiving lubricants, condoms and actually know how to put them to proper use. I also want to inform them about the free health services within the community.

 NAME: Habyezimana Thierry Calvin

GENDER IDENTITY: Transwoman

AGE: 25 years

OCCUPATION: Currently unemployed (She is a Burundian refugee residing in Uganda)

Why are you contesting for MISS PRIDE 2016?

First, I would love to be a beauty queen and crown holder but most importantly, I want to represent my country because there are kuchus in Burundi, even though the movement is not as strong as Uganda’s.

What do you plan to do for the community if you win?

I want to connect the Kuchu movements in Uganda and Burundi and maybe make our movements across East Africa united.