Rick  Dean Twombley (33) is Mr. Gay Hong Kongand represening Hong Kong in Worldwide Mr. Gay 2010 in Oslo, Norway.

HONG KONG

Name: RICK  DEAN TWOMBLEY

Age: 33

Hobbies: Working Out, Writing, Video Editing, Choreography, Reality Television

Profession: Professional Dancer/Aerialist

Role model: I believe any gay role model or icon should be a leader who teaches people  to stand up, speak out and live life honestly and openly. That's why people like Harvey Milk are true heroes.  Milk urged people to turn their anger and frustration into something positive, and asked gay people from all walks of life to be openly proud of themselves and their community.

He said once, "I hope that every professional gay will say ‘enough’, come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help.”  Milk was a powerful voice for gay rights, and he was assassinated for standing up for what he believed in. We owe him and others like him, quite a debt of gratitude.

Dream date: I've been "dating" my dream man for over three years, and honestly can't think of anyone else I would rather be with.  Besides being my boyfriend, Seth is also my best friend. A "dream" date with him  could range from an exotic trip to the islands of Southern Thailand, or simply staying home on our couch like we did this past New Years Eve...we ate pizza, drank champagne, watched old movies and made each other laugh right into 2010.  It was a perfect date.

Favorite moment in life: My favorite "moment" stemmed from a life-changing decision I made when  I was 15 years old.  It was during my sophomore year of high school, and I decided to audition for our schools all-girl dance squad.  The other boys in my school were athletes and/or farmers, so you can imagine the backlash when a guy wanted to dance instead of play football!  The entire school, the girls on the squad, their parents, the town, even the state, seemed to be against me.

I was constantly harassed, called names, threatened. My house was egged, and horrible things were written on my car and locker. The adversity triggered something inside of me, and instead of shrinking away and giving up, I suddenly knew I was going to see my decision through to the end.  That was the "moment" when I became a    man who would never deny or hide who I was, and never allow the hatred or judgments of others to determine my path to happiness.  I auditioned, and I was the first boy in the history of my state to make an all-female high school dance team!  Joining the squad strengthened my interest in dance,   which earned me a scholarship to a private university with one of the top dance programs in the United States.  I graduated at the top of my class, and that education led to a long and successful career as professional entertainer.

Zodiac: Capricorn

Relation status: In a serious relationship

Statement: I'm just a small-town farm boy who grew up fighting adversity, but never shied away from being myself or confidently standing up for what I believe in. These qualities are invaluable in any strong leader, and are why I decided to take part in this competition. As Worldwide Mr. Gay, I will be an international voice for equality, promote openness, and change the perception that to be gay means to be different.