A Victoria man with a talent for testicular exams has been named Mr. Gay Europe.
Medical student Robbie Obara, 26, said he hopes to promote reproductive and gay men’s and health with the title.
“I’m happy because I see this not just as some glamour thing, but as a platform that I can use to target LGBT youth across Europe to improve mental health, physical health and social health,” he said from Belgium, where he was attending the Mr. Gay World and playing volleyball in the World Outgames, following his July 30 win.
Obara, who now lives in Ireland, earned the 2013 European title in Prague against 16 other delegates. The competition involved a photo shoot, interview, web vote, sports competition, art project, written test and more.
He placed first in both the interview category and talent portion, for which he demonstrated a self exam.
“The interview was just sitting down with the judges and discussing the work that I do with Gay Men’s Health Services, working with HIV and mental health,” he said.
Obara grew up in Victoria, attending Claremont Secondary School and studying biology at the University of Victoria. He said Victoria has informed his perspective on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual issues, and while he called the local LGBT community “quaint,” he said it’s also a lovely scene.
“I think it’s small obviously, but I think everybody’s got love in their hearts,” he said.
He moved to Dublin in 2009 for medical school at Trinity College, after completing a master’s degree in public health in Australia. There, he was named Mr. Gay Ireland, which qualified him for the European competition.
“Homosexuality was only legalized in Ireland in 1993, so it’s a significant thing there,” he said.
Obara first got involved with a gay pageant because it was a fundraiser for the HIV clinic where he was working on rotation. He ended up winning the title Mr. Gay George at the George pub, which is one of Ireland’s oldest gay bars, and the event raised more than 20,000 Euros for his clinic.
“It’s just a continuation of my career, going into medicine and public health,” Obara said. “I want to use this as a platform to continue that, but I think I’ll just have some fun along the way too.”
Obara said he is most passionate about gay men’s health and women’s health, especially relating to abortion rights in Ireland. On the same day Obara won his crown, abortion became legal in circumstances where a mother’s life is at risk due to medical complications or the threat of suicide.
Very little is taught on the subject in the field of obstetrics and gynecology and Obara has founded the Reproductive Health Interest Group, which now has representatives at each medical school in Ireland.
“I feel really passionate about it and I feel like I have a capacity to create change.”
He also wants to improve mental health services for members of the LGBT community, who face higher suicide and depression rates, as well as being the target of violence and discriminatory behaviour.
Obara plans to head to Halifax following the games for a hospital placement, before returning to his final year at Trinity College in October.
