Miss Gay Mid-East America Rules 1. Contestants must be male, at least the age of 21 prior to the date of the pageant entered. A state issued (with photograph) identification must be provided at the time of registration. If for any reason the promoter finds any cause to investigate the age or residency status of the contestant, reasonable measures will be taken for that investigation and the contestant will be informed if just validation is found disqualifying them under this rule. All contestants must be a citizen of the United States . 2. A (90) ninety day residence is required for closed and open pageants for City and State prelims, unless the State pageant is purchased as a “Regional preliminary”. Additionally, the winner of a state pageant should reside in the state during his reign. Failure to remain a resident of the state pageant for the title which he holds will result in revocation of the state title. 3. Entry by a contestant who is currently in open criminal proceedings for a felony, currently on felony probation or is in current retribution for a crime, will be denied entry as a contestant into any preliminary of the Official Miss Gay America pageant. A contestant who has successfully completed felony probation, or whose criminal case is dismissed, will be eligible to enter. Verification of criminal status may be checked. More than one misdemeanor will not be tolerated and could likewise result in entry denial. Any contestant found to be untruthful about their criminal status will be permanently removed from eligibility within the system. 4. Judging will be based on a total points accumulated system. Score sheets will be furnished by L & T Entertainment. Ties will be broken by the answering of questions by the persons involved in the “tied’ score. If such “tie-breaking” action is required, the “tie-break” question will be scored according to the On-Stage Question category matrix. The Pageant scoring will be done on a cumulative basis. The practice of dropping the high and low scores will not be tolerated in the national, state, or regional pageants as well as any pageants leading to an official preliminary pageant. The reigning representative may question a judge’s score and may eliminate the judge’s score sheet altogether, if the scores are deemed to be biased; however the practice of automatically dropping scores is not permitted by anyone. 5. It is the responsibility of the Promoters, to ensure the contestants that the most qualified panel of judges has been selected. Promoters must provide to the Judges, at minimum, a Judges Book that contains the following information: -Category Descriptions (should be provided in advance of the contest) -Category Point Summary -Scoresheets -Judges Regulations and Other Information (i.e. schedule of events should be provided in advance of the contest) Other Helpful information to the Panel of Judges would include literature from L & T Entertainment (letter entitled, “What Are Judges Looking For In A Miss Gay America”, articles entitled, “A Good Judge” and the 5- Category Articles published by L & T Entertainment)-available via download from the MGA web site (“About MGA” button). For more information, please refer to the “Judges Regulations and General Information” section of this manual. An informed Judges Panel will clearly select the best of the contestants. 6. Promoters should furnish an “Application Packet” to the Contests, that should include, at minimum, the following information: -Contestant Application -Opening Number Requirements -Contestant Regulations -Category Descriptions -Category Point Summary -Miss Gay America Job Description Summary -Pageant Schedule 7. Contestants will be judged in the following categories: Evening Gown, Solo Talent, Talent, and the two types of interviews: Male Interview and Onstage Interview. All direct Regional and State contests are required to hold all categories of the competition. The Solo Talent category is optional, for City Preliminary contests only. 8. While contestants may receive great prize packages from promoters, contestants are strongly encouraged to not solely rely on the prize packages from the promoters, for funding sources to the national competition. While L & T Entertainment will not tolerate any promoter who reneges on the prize package obligation, from time to time, events beyond control occur, therefore contestants should always attempt to have a “Plan B” in terms of funding sources. 9. Competition music (CD-R only) must be submitted in quality condition (i.e properly labeled and with no damage that affects “play” and only one tract per CD). Any substandard music submitted will receive administrative point deductions. A back-up CD-R will be required should your original be misplaced or is deemed to be “damaged”. Please see category descriptions for further information relative to proper music labeling. 10. The use or dispensing of any illegal drug will not be tolerated while a contestant (or entertainer) is participating in the Official Pageant, or preliminary thereof. Immediate disqualification will result for those who break this rule. Contestants (as well as their helpers and dancers) may be disqualified if usage of drugs is detected in the contestant’s room, luggage, or on their person etc. or if actions of the contestant, or those affiliated with the contestant, are thought to not be in the best interest of the Miss Gay America pageant system. Contestants are responsible for their assistants and dancers and will be penalized if anyone affiliated with their presentation is found to be in violation of this regulation. 11. Any talent presentation is acceptable, except those presentations that might cause injury to the audience or to other contestants. Pyrotechnics are not allowed. NO FIRE (including but not limited to a lit cigarette) OR LIQUIDS, including but not limited to water, WHATSOEVER. Any violators will receive a zero (0) in the category for which this regulation violation occurred. For more information on category description, please refer to the Category Description section of the www.missgayamerica.com website. 12. Any contestant caught in the act of stealing will immediately be disqualified and removed from the location of the pageant. Additionally, non-compliance with this regulation will result in the permanent disqualification from entry into the Miss Gay America pageant, or any preliminary thereof. 13. Any contestant whose actions are interpreted as demeaning or disrespectful to the title of Miss Gay America will be disqualified. L & T Entertainment reserves the right of final determination of what is considered to be demeaning behavior. 14. The use of any type hormone is not allowed. Absolutely no breast implants, cosmetic or body enhancing implants below the neck or silicone (or any other similar type product/chemical) injections, excluding the face, will be allowed before or during the contestant’s reign. This includes any city, state, regional or national reign. L & T Entertainment reserves the right to require a medical examination or physical examination in the event that a contestant is suspected of violation of this regulation. Likewise, L & T Entertainment, or an official representative (to be approved by L & T Entertainment) may require an examination based on “visual observation” at which case the contestant must consent, or face disciplinary actions, including suspension or disqualification. 15. Any contestant who is chosen as winner of a closed or open State pageant, must reside within that state during his reign. Failure to reside in the state, during the reign, will result in the revocation of the state title as well as any remaining cash, prize and appearance stream. 16. The contestant chosen as first alternate must be prepared to fulfill the duties of the titleholder, if for any reason the titleholder is unable to fulfill his duty. The first alternate winner does not have right of refusal to be promoted to the titleholder position, if the opportunity occurs with zero (0) days to six (6) months from the date of that particular contest. Should the contestant decline the promotion, within the aforementioned timeline, a two-year minimal suspension, shall be levied against that contestant. If the promotion opportunity occurs after six (6) months from the date of that particular contest, the first alternate has acceptance option, without declination penalty. 17. Revocation of a contestants title or pageant placement will result in the requirement of the contestant, to repay any cash or prizes previous distributed. Failure to repay to cash or prizes (or cash equivalent) will result in the suspension of the contestant, until repayment is completed. 18. Contestants who have qualified or intend to qualify for the next level of competition, may not adjudicate a Miss Gay America system contest on any level during the same pageant season. 19. All contestants must agree to follow the Standards of Conduct of Contestants and Titleholders. All titleholders and contestants of any Miss Gay America System Preliminary must adhere to these minimum guidelines: -Present themselves professionally, as defined by L & T Entertainment while representing their respective titles at all times -Never demean the pageant or title they represent -Never cause substantial problems for their promoters or for those for whom they perform -Never become intoxicated while representing their respective title -Never participate in any type of argument or altercation, except as a mediator, while representing their title -Attempt to solve any problems with Promoters and/or co-performers in a peaceful manner and in good faith. Problems may be mediated through the Miss Gay America Board of Advisors however, the executive office of L & T Entertainment must be informed of all issues. All complaints must be documented in written (typed) form for an opinion/official mediation from the executive office of L & T Entertainment. -Never lecture the audience, only provide quality entertainment 20. Violating the Code of Ethics for Titleholders may result in the disqualification/revocation of the title and/or jeopardize the winner’s/first alternate’s standing with L & T Entertainment. L & T Entertainment shall make final decision for revocation of any titleholder or qualification position, on any level. 21. Promoters should file a written request, to L & T Entertainment, for “review” of the status of a titleholders who: -Do not present themselves in a professional manner. -Demean the pageant or the title they hold. -Cause substantial problems for the promoter, those with whom they perform or those for whom they perform. -Are using or dispensing illegal drugs. -Are intoxicated while representing their respective title. -Are in direct violation of any regulation noted in the Promoters Handbook. -Are in violation of any directive that is give in consideration of the best interest of the pageant. -Is tardy or absent from officially sanctioned pageant event. 22. Any contestant who has qualified or has intention to qualify to any preliminary of Miss Gay America (i.e State/Regional pageants or on the National level) may not judge (during the year in which they intend to compete in the next level pageant), any State or Regional preliminaries, that is designated as a preliminary in the Miss Gay America system. That is, a former “state titleholder” may judge a city preliminary for the state pageant in which she was a former titleholder. 23. Administrative point (AP) deductions will be issued by L & T Entertainment, the reigning Miss Gay America , or other assignees as approved by L & T Entertainment. Administrative Point deductions will be applied to the total accumulative score of the contestants and will usually be in increments of twenty-five (25) points per infraction except where otherwise noted within this handbook for promoters. Regulation infractions that will justify administrative point deductions includes but not limited to: -Exceeding allotted time for talent set-up and take-down - Music submitted that is not appropriately labeled - Music submitted that contains more than one track - Application Questionnaire submitted that is note properly completed or not in typed/printed format - Application submitted after the October 01 deadline - Direct violation of any category (i.e. using an item deemed as a prop with solo talent or exceeding the talent set-up time), unless the category descriptions otherwise states a greater penalty - Tardiness for scheduled events of the pageant - Non-compliance with requirements for Presentation Costume - Non-compliance with Dressing Room Policies Administrative Point deductions will not be issued by the judges but rather from L & T Entertainment and/or its assigns including, the reigning Miss Gay America or/the the promoter. For multi-day pageants, Administrative Point deductions will carry forward into final night competition.