The three-month search to find Safe Sex Poster Boys for Gay Men's Heath campaigns in 2008 has concluded today as six winners have been announced. Safe sex studs: Posterboy hopefuls in Chch last month Wellington's Munaam Naeem took out the alternative category, and Josh Chapman, also from Wellington, won in the hotly-contested Boy Next Door category. Scott McDonald - another entrant from the capital - will be the Businessman poster boy. Roger Moore from Auckland will appear on the leather/bear themed poster, and Auckland's 'Party Boy' Christopher Olwage will show off his winning abs next year in print. Sportsman Liam Moir from Wellington completes the set. 3,766 votes were received online at www.safesexposterboy.co.nz during the past week for 21 finalists in the six categories. All 21 finalists had emerged victorious from audience voting in a series of semifinal events held in gay venues nationwide during November. Prizes to the value of $1,000 will be awarded to each winner. Along with all the other finalists, the winners will also receive Ink'd underwear, one of Safe Sex Poster Boy's major sponsors. Josh Chapman, winner of the Boy Next Door category, says it's an "amazing" feeling to have won. "I feel like the people who voted for me truly believe I can do this role justice in spreading the message of safe sex among our community," he says. "I entered the competition because I thought that with my father dying in 1994 of HIV/AIDS, I already have a large understanding of what's needed to educate people. I hope to get the message through that unprotected sex not only increases the risks of HIV transmission, but also other STIs." NZAF National Campaigns Co-ordinator Douglas Jenkin is delighted with the community response to the contest. Hundreds of text votes were generated from audiences at the semifinal events, and more than 11,000 visitors have flocked to the campaign website since its launch in September. "This contest could not have been successful without community enthusiasm – the fine-looking men who put themselves forward as entrants, those who turned up to support the events, and the thousands of votes received during the final stages," he says. "The quality of the entrants and their intelligent views on safe sex are a wonderful reinforcement of the condom culture which has kept our communities safe from HIV for over 20 years." The winners will be seen in new Gay Men's Health campaigns from February 2008.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 6th December 2007 - 11:31am