Think Mr South Africa and perfect pecs and abs you can bounce a six-pack of beers on will probably come to mind. But one finalist in the top 10 of this year’s competition looks a little different. Like a lot of South African misters – especially those who may have let themselves go a little during all-you-can-eat lockdown – he’s sporting a boep.
For many of us, the idea of entering a pageant when you don’t look like you’ve stepped off a runway would be a horrifying thought. But not for Danie Doman (25). He did it to prove a point: that bodies are beautiful in all shapes and sizes.
Yet he found himself the target of trolls who honed in on his less-than-sculpted bod. Danie entered Mr SA knowing full well he was the “shortest and fattest” of the contestants – he wanted to challenge accepted norms and inspire others.