Tauranga's Mr Gay finalist is Jake Angus

There are only two days of the year Jake Angus feels he can truly express his "authentic self".

Those are the days when Auckland's Ending HIV Big Gay Out festival and the Pride Parade are held.

Which is why the Tauranga local was a finalist in Mr Gay New Zealand for the third year.

The competition asked for entries from around New Zealand and eight finalists had been chosen.

The 20-year-old said the competition was about being a role model for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"My main reason for joining is to promote new and controversial conversations around issues within the rainbow community," Angus said.

Which was what Angus did when he wrote an opinion piece on the idea that one's gender was socially constructed rather than biological.

"It has been very controversial online. Some people have said some horrible things but I don't worry about them," Angus said.

The opinion piece was part of the judging criteria along with a written test, a formal interview, a charity challenge, a mentoring programme and a public vote.

Jake Angus is representing the Bay of Plenty in Mr Gay New Zealand 2018. Photo / George Novak

The competition was running for the 10th time and the winner would be announced at this year's Ending HIV Big Gay Out on February 11.

The person who won the title would represent New Zealand at the Mr Gay World competition in Kynsna, South Africa, in May this year.

Angus said through his journey of entering the Mr Gay New Zealand competition he had grown a lot and every year feels more comfortable opening up about himself.

"My first year I was young, naive and hyped on the chance of being famous. Since then I have grown and developed into a more mature person.

"I choose to come back year after year to show that our rainbow community comes in all shapes and forms and that you don't need to conform to any stereotypes of the ideal gay man to be in a competition like this."

Organiser of Mr Gay New Zealand Matt Fistonich said the competition was not about someone's looks but rather the way they can represent their community.

Fistonich was crowned Mr Gay New Zealand in 2015 and said the competition had grown in "leaps and bounds".

"It's great to see so much diversity. Entries came in not from just one region but from all over the country."

To vote for Jake Angus visit.
http://eikonline.com/poll/mr-gay-new-zealand-public-voting-2018/