1. Miss Gay USofA Newcomer contestants must be assigned male at birth and at least 21 years of age and able to show proof of age. If you do not have a state issued ID you will not be allowed to enter. **Additional eligible rules apply, see rules 15-17 below.
2. Preliminaries with multiple days will be have their preliminary days scored on a total point’s accumulated system. Single day preliminaries and the final night of any multiple day preliminaries will be scored using the standard USofA Pageants, LLC comparative scoring system. Any ties will be broken by the contestant with the highest talent score, followed by highest interview score, and finally if there is still a tie, the highest evening gown score.
3. Contestants will only be judged in the following categories:
· Personal Interview
· Talent
· Evening Gown
4. Talent presentation will be limited to seven (7) minutes. Prop setup and knock down time will be limited to five (5) minutes total. Talent presentation will be timed at rehearsals. Talent presentations over seven (7) minutes will have five (5) administrative points per judge deducted.
5. Any type of talent presentation is acceptable, except those which may cause injury to the audience or any other person. No glitter, fire, or water may be used in any talent presentation. No live animals or reptiles may be used in a talent presentation. Music must be turned in on CD, flash drive, or other media as directed by the promoter. You should have your talent number recorded as Track 1 and your crown number on Track 2. If using a CD, all music must be on the same CD. Do not place any other music on the CD. You may not use commercial CD’s that have multiple tracks.
6. The use of, or dispensing of illegal drugs or marijuana will not be tolerated while a contestant is participating in the competition. Immediate disqualification will result for those that break this rule.
7. Any contestant that is not in the appointed place at the appointed time will lose two (2) administrative points per judge deducted for the first offense. Subsequent tardiness will result in the doubling of administrative points being deducted (i.e. four (4) points per judge for a second offense and eight (8) points deducted per judge for a third offense). The promoter has the discretion to determine whether or not a contestant is tardy.
8. Any contestant, contestant’s dancer(s), helper(s), etc. who is caught in the act of stealing or tampering with another person’s possessions will be immediately disqualified and removed from the location of the pageant.
9. The Official Miss Gay USofA Newcomer pageant does not discriminate against entertainers with silicone and/or hormones. The use of silicone and/or hormones will not be considered by any judge in the scoring of contestants. Nudity and pasties will not be allowed by anyone (contestant, dancer, former titleholder, special entertainment, etc.) in any portion of any preliminary.
10. USofA Pageants, LLC reserves the right to make any decision concerning any matter not covered by these rules and regulations.
11. The winner of Miss Gay USofA Newcomer will be required to sign a contract with USofA Pageants, LLC before any prize money is paid. Failure to sign the contract will mean forfeiture of the title. The winner will also be required to complete the IRS W-9 form.
12. Any contestant in the top 5 not staying on stage for the entire crowning and picture taking will forfeit their placement and prize money.
13. Within seven (7) days of winning the contest, the winner of Miss Gay USofA Newcomer must have and maintain an e-mail address and cell phone for the entire length of their reign.
14. Any contestant, who has qualified to attend any USofA Pageants, LLC National Pageant and fails to attend, may not compete in any USofA Pageants, LLC preliminary until they have paid back all prizes to their promoter, paid a $250 fine to the National Promoter and waited at least one year.
15. Miss Gay USofA Newcomer contestants may not have won a State or Regional title or have been a National Finalist in any Miss Gay USofA National Pageant or any of the major franchised National Pageants including, America, Continental, Entertainer of the Year, MBU, Miss Black America and All American Goddess.
16. Miss Gay USofA Newcomer contestants may not have appeared on a drag based reality television series. Non-televised drag based competitions do not appy to this rule.
17. Miss Gay USofA Newcomer contestants may not enter Miss Gay USofA Newcomer following their third anniversary of their first entry to the Miss Gay USofA Newcomer system.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the three year eligibility clock was paused in April 2020 and will remain paused until after August 2022.
18. The winner of Miss Gay USofA At Large will be required to attend one or more photo shoots at a date and time of USofA Pageants, LLC’s choosing. USofA Pageants, LLC will inform the winner of the number of outfits (including colors) to bring to the photo shoots. USofA Pageants, LLC will pay for one (1) official crown promotional picture and one (1) other promotional picture. Additional promotional pictures may be paid for at USofA Pageants, LLC’s discretion. Travel to and from the photo shoots and lodging during the photo shoot will be paid for by the winner. *This rule applies to the winner of the 2022 pageant and all future pageants, however, it is not retroactive for past winners of the pageant.