China Shuts Down Mr. Gay Pageant

Police canceled the first Mr. Gay China pageant one hour before it was scheduled to begin at a nightclub in Beijing on Friday, saying that organizers failed to follow proper planning procedures.

According to the Associated Press, police appeared at the nightclub and told pageant organizer Ben Zhang that the homosexual content was not the reason for the cancellation.

"He said police told him he needed to apply for approval for events that included performances, in this case a stage show," reported the AP.

Eight men were competing for the title of Mr. Gay China, which affords a place in the worldwide Mr. Gay pageant to be held in Oslo in February.