23-year-old Daniel Rodriguez has just been crowned this year’s winner of International Mister Spain. He competed with other 47 men but the jury chose him.
After the big win, Rodriguez came out as gay publicly. His friends and family knew about his sexuality.
My family knows I’m gay, my friends too. And I’m living in such a positive way with my sexuality that I felt a responsibility to share it with others,” Gutiérrez said.
“There have been more than 70 homophobic attacks in Madrid so far this year,” he added.
But he wanted the whole world to know that there is no difference between gay men and heterosexual men when it comes to a beauty contest.
“I don’t understand why. A homosexual can be as masculine as a heterosexual,” he said.
“Regardless of my orientation I can seduce women, too.”
Daniel Rodriguez is the first gay winner of the competition and “didn’t see it as a reason why I couldn’t claim the title”.
He wants to pursue a career as an actor, and he is not totally sure that his sexuality won’t affect his career.
“It is a reality that we live in. And there are almost no athletes who are out of the closet. But in my experience, people have changed,” he said about the issue of coming out as gay, no matter what your profession is.
