A Jamaican male is among five gay Caribbean men set to compete in a Gay Caribbean pageant to be held in New York on September 19.

The pageant, which is being held for the first time this year, will see the men competing in full female attire in every segment. The men will appear in couture swimwear and evening wear, and will also have to perform a talent piece. An interview segment is also included. In the swimwear segment, contestants will have to do a dramatisation representing a local legend from their home country.

Hemish Gervis, the organiser of the pageant, told THE STAR that all contestants, except the Jamaican, live their lives as men. He said the Jamaican, who is originally from St Ann, lives as a woman. The other four countries represented are St Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and Guyana.

The individual contestants are: Mimi Mancini, representing Jamaica; Frantica Boujoules representing St Lucia; Rehanna B, from Barbados; Madame Fleur de Fleur from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, and Vanessa Flowers of Guyana.

Though all of this year's contestants live in the United States, Gervis said the pageant was open to all gay men from the Caribbean, whether they were living in the United States or not.

He said, "We intend to make it an annual event. The idea was born out of the St Lucian version of the pageant when we realised that other gay islanders wanted to participate. This year we had five contestants but we plan to make it even bigger next year when we seek corporate help."

He said the contestants would be judged by three graduates of leading performing arts schools and the winner would receive prizes of both cash and kind.

Gervis, a St Lucian, said the aim of the pageant was to create a spirit of tolerance towards the gay community and said this was why the pageant was open to everyone - gay and straight. "It's a chance for people to see gay talent on parade and to be around gay people and maybe it will foster a spirit of openness," he said.

Well aware that not everyone is tolerant of such a lifestyle, Gervis said security will be provided and everyone attending will be searched.