Mr. Gay China comes to Beijing....

Looks like I have to go to Beijing...

The Mr. Gay China pageant is coming up and contestant David Wu is a bit worried.

It's not the underwear competition that's making him jittery—he's been working out harder than usual to get ready. And he's looking forward to the opportunity to meet other "comrades," as gay men in China are called.

Just one thing troubles the handsome 30-year-old: His parents don't know he's gay.

"Most Chinese media won't cover it (the pageant), so I think it's unlikely that my parents will find out about me because of this event," said Wu, from the southwestern city of Chengdu. "On the other hand, if they did ... maybe it's a good opportunity to tell them."

Featuring a fashion show and a host in drag, Mr. Gay China, set for Friday night in the capital city of Beijing, is the country's first gay pageant, marking another step toward greater awareness of homosexuals in a country where gays are frequently discriminated against and ostracized. Eight men compete for the title and a spot in the Worldwide Mr. Gay pageant, to be held next month in Oslo, Norway.

Organizer Ben Zhang said the main purpose of the pageant was to help people realize that there is a thriving gay community in China.