Mister Universe: Getting to know England’s entrant Vince Torres, in 5 quotes and images
"My story is an interesting one as I was born to a traditional Catholic family in a small town called Elche in Spain," explains Vince ahead of the finals in September
“Our community found it very difficult to accept my sexuality,” says England’s Mister Universe hopeful Vince Torres, who was born to a “traditional Catholic family in a small town called Elche in Spain.”
“I think the UK is progressive in comparison to Spain,” adds the 31-year-old, now based in London, of how he came to represent Blighty in the global male beauty pageant.
“Sexual health testing is very accessible in the UK as is medications such as PEP,” he furthermore adds.
“This is in stark contrast to health checks in Spain. Despite this, there is still a lot of change which needs to happen here.”
Here, ahead of the competition finals on 29 September 2024, Vince reflects on experiencing employment discrimination in England, his coming out story, and his work as a volunteer for LGBTQ youth homelessness charity the Albert Kennedy Trust.
Vince on the Mister Universe selection process
“I was scouted for the competition through social media and was then invited in for an interview. I was told I had won very shortly after!”
Vince on getting physically prepared for the competition
“There are a few elements to this competition. Firstly, physically, I have been upping my training regime in recent months. I am training six times a week and have been working with Adam Enaz, a brilliant online fitness coach, who has created a full body, science-based training programme for me which I am really enjoying.”
Vince on other elements of Mister Universe
“There is also a runway part to the competition, where each contestant must wear traditional clothing to represent their country. I’m working with the costume designers from Bridgerton to create my runway look which will have a Regency theme. The final part of the competition is an interview with the judges.”
Vince on his coming out journey
“I was very young when I came out, around 14. I grew up in a religious Catholic family and attended Catholic schools. Coming out was hard, I suffered a lot of prejudice. I felt so lonely and isolated in my community. This is why I have chosen to volunteer with an incredible charity called AKT, a London-based charity which supports the LGBT+ homeless community. I am so excited to be attending Pride with them. If I win the competition, I will be donating some of my prize money to them.”
Vince on what changes he’d like to see for LGBTQIA+ rights in the next 20 years
“There are still communities and workplaces where there is blatant inequality based on sexual orientation. I have experienced this so severely in one of my previous workplaces, that it sent me into a downward spiral. I suffered depression and other mental health issues; I eventually took sick leave and was able to work on my recovery.”
The Mister Universe 2024 finals will take place on 29 September 2024 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California